Adventures of Quillion (Overwatch)
by Quillion0
Summary: In a desperate gamble, Corporal Quillion Zero was frozen in a high experimental cryo tube to avoid the slaughter of his base by an Omnic Assault in the wake of the First Omnic Crisis. However he woke up in a strange new world where he was picked up by a British who can teleport and the Second Omnic Crisis is in full swing. What can a man from the past do to stop the war?
1. Chp 1 - Introduction

Hello Overwatch Fans! I would like to first thank you very much for taking an interest in my very first fan fiction (and first published material in fact). I have planned to begin publishing much later but because Overwatch 2 is going to come out soon so I thought "Why not".

So enjoy and I hope that my fiction will be entertaining for you.

Thank you and have a good day.

* * *

*Malaysia: Somewhere in the Jungle*

The air is warm and the leaves rustled softly as the wind blew, the water in the fountain is ripe with a strangely attractive moss illuminated by the moonlight from the opening of the ruined ceiling, soft drips from the recent storm falling freely. Nature reigned freely in their new empire.

On top of the fountain lies a strange contraption that had just been set up, its owner made sure that the wide dishes are facing the moonlight, its wires connecting to another device that is slowly blinking a red light.

"11pm, it's been 2 days since I activated the beacon and had a woman with an British accent answer" he thought.

Corporal Quillion Zero has taken refuge in a greenhouse at the top of the mall after he activated the beacon for an Emergency Extraction when he was defrosted from a prototype cryo tube.

Leaning on a nearby pillar, Quillion began to recall how this place was before the Omnic Crisis. Instead of gunfire and bombs, fireworks reigned the skies. Instead of troops charging to their deaths, children ran towards their favorite stores. Instead of horror and pain, the biggest concern was missing a "Sale" for a certain product.

"I wish… I could go back to those stupid… Stupid times…" he sighed to himself.

The year is 2076, about 30 years passed since a base was overrun by a major Omnic attack in the hills of Miri, the time when a corporal was thrown into a highly experimental cryo tube, swearing that if he survives, he will avenge his fallen comrades by activating all the hidden bombs littered across the country.

"30 years… So that makes me 58, never thought I'd live to see those numbers" Quillion joked to himself.

A sudden rustle of leaves spun Quillion around, aiming his rifle towards the corridor, activating its vision enhancer and felt it humming eagerly. Through the lens the dark room lit up as if someone flipped a switch and what Quillion saw was…

A rat, scavenging through the leaves.

Quillion relaxed his grip, annoyed at the waste of limited power he had left on his weapon. He took aim at the rat's head and whispered "bang" before turning it off, setting it down on the floor to his right.

Seeing the rat scavenging reminded Quillion to be more careful with the food supply he had found, by his estimate the fruit trees can only supply him with a couple more days' worth of fruits before he needs to find new ones.

"Where are they?" he thought.

Though no exact time was set, it is dangerous to stay here for too long as the area is known for flash floods and the infrastructure looks like it may collapse any minute.

However, to Quillion's great delight, the device's red blinks turned to an emerald stare. Carefully storing the panels back into his backpack, he pulled out the retractable earpiece from the player, placed one into his left ear, pressed play and closed his eyes for a brief moment as the upbeat music fills his world as he sings along.

We're no strangers to love  
You know the rules and so do I  
A full commitment's what I'm thinking of  
You wouldn't get this from any other guy…

"Psst… Wha'cha listening to?" a voice whispered into his free ear.

Quillion lashed out his left elbow, striking to the right while his other hand grabbed his rifle.

As his elbow sliced through the air, he completed his spin into a kneeling position, weapon at the ready, and aimed at…

Nothing. Nothing but the wall.

He quickly scans the pillar he was leaning on earlier, ensuring that there are no holes or spots where people could sneak up on him, but there were none.

Whoever this is, she had to walk up to him from the left and duck away quickly. She is good. And fast.

She?

"I know you are there, show yourself!" Quillion warned.

Before he could turn around, he felt something hard poke at the back of his head.

"If you want to get out of here alive luv, you better drop that gun"

There is no mistaking it, this is his contact! The British accent matches the reply he heard two days ago.

"Okay, okay, I'm setting my rifle down… Don't shoot"

Quillion slowly placed his rifle on the floor and raised his hands above his head. He felt the pressure of her weapon lowered from his head down to his back.

"Cheers, you can stand up and turn around now, but slowly"

"She sounds serious" he thought.

Turning around slowly, he set eyes on his contact. And felt his heart skip.

The first thing he noticed was her orange leggings, the brown jacket that hugs her well-toned body, and the blue orb on her chest. Why does she need that? Or more interestingly, what is that?

"Ahem… My eyes are up here" she said in an annoyed tone.

Quillion quickly looked up and saw she was wearing orange visors, sporting an unkempt hair, and freckles. She is... Cute he thought. Even though she has him hostage, he can't help but to feel attracted to this person, especially when she seems to glow under the moonlight.

He quickly shook the idea out of his head, he is here to be extracted, and he should request it quickly, especially since she kept her weapon trained against his chest.

"I am Corporal Zero, a member of the Malaysian Guerrilla Fighters (MGF), I request an extraction to the nearest base"

She remained still, staring at him silently as she kept her weapon trained on his chest. A few uncomfortable seconds passed before Quillion cleared his throat to try again.

"I am a member of the MGF, are you my extraction?"

He noticed that her serious façade began to crack as he spoke, as if holding back a laugh, her eyes darting between his face and his chest. Puzzled, he looked down and felt his face and ears become crimson.

The "weapon" she is using to hold him hostage is nothing more than a branch.

"You think this is a joke?" Quillion barked angrily, snatching the branch away from her.

"I-I'm sorry luv… I just saw a stick and..."

He stared in disbelief as she collapsed in a fit of laughter, clutching her stomach as she sank to her knees.

He looked at her, then at the branch in his hand, he felt his anger dissipating as he found himself chuckling at his own carelessness, and soon he joined her in laughter.

For the first time in many years, cheerful laughter filled the empty halls of this abandoned mall.

*10 minutes later*

"Heya, name's Tracer, Corporal Zero was it?"

"Yes ma'am"

"Sorry about that, it just… Had been a while since I can play a joke on someone"

"Pleasure is all mine Ms Trac-"

"Just Tracer"

"Right… Pleasure is all mine, though you were pretty brave to do that, I would've killed you"

Tracer raised an eyebrow, crossed her arms and wore a confident smile.

"Yeah, you really have me on the ropes just now until I grabbed a stick"

Quillion stared back and, despite feeling embarrassed, he felt a strange sense of satisfaction to be of amusement for this Tracer.

"Anyway, we received your beacon, can't say this have been an easy place to find"

"The MGF has always prided themselves for hiding in plain sight" the Corporal replied with a hint of pride.

"So… Did you find your team or anyone else here?" she asked.

"No, I could not reach them or the MGF"

"I'd be surprised if you could reach anyone here"

Quillion stared at Tracer in response to that answer. Surprised?

If she is surprised that he could reach anyone from headquarters and see the state of the surrounding areas, his worst fears have been confirmed.

"How did we lose? What happened to our alliance with Singapore and Indonesia? The day I went under the ice was only a few months before our planned counter attack"

Tracer cocked her head to one side and asked carefully "When you said you "went under the ice", you were in a cryo sleep?"

Quillion nodded.

Tracer squeezed her eyes shut for a few seconds and gasped.

"That means at least 20 years"

She stared at him and, though she kept her feelings well hidden, Quillion can tell there is a hint of pity and sadness in her eyes.

A sick feeling began to fill his stomach, he has been gone 10 years longer than that.

"What happened 10 years ago?"

Just before she could respond, a loud bang echoed throughout the halls, followed by a crowd of voices.

Quillion grabbed his rifle and saw Tracer had already somehow armed herself with what looked like dual pistols, a wild glint in her eyes.

"Guess story time's over, I'll tell you everything later when we are safer yeah? Looks like we've got company"

"Please tell me you brought backup or have some way to call in the cavalry?" he said, as he heard many more voices filling the air.

She looked at him and gave him a smile that made his heart skip a beat.

"Don't worry luv, I am the cavalry"

* * *

All Overwatch characters belong to Blizzard.

By the way, if the song Quillion was listening to sounds familiar, it is a snippet from "Never Gonna Give You Up" by Rick Astley. For my older Internet users who knows the significance of this song. Welcome! And don't worry, this is not a troll attempt, I was actually challenged to make this song significant in the story, so... Wish me luck. (PS. It actually is a good song)


	2. Chp 2 - Skirmishes in Russia

*Gibraltar: Watchpoint (2 days earlier)*

The room is dimmed for maximum visuals for the many screens showing events at different parts of the country with the middle and biggest screen displaying the country of Russia, red circles indicating battles scattered throughout the massive landscape as the Second Omnic Crisis continues.

30 staff are either running or speaking into their microphones as they navigate or respond to different teams that have been sent out to contain the situation. In the middle of the room stood Jack Morrison, head of Overwatch's military operations.

"What is the status of Team 4?" growled Commander Morrison.

"They just entered Tolyatti, landing in 15 minutes!" came the immediate reply.

"Status on Strike Team B in Vorkuta? Have they completed their mission?"

"They found the hidden Omnic base, currently engaging, last report, 60% complete"

Morrison's frustration reached its peak, they should be on their way to aid Strike Team C in Yary by now…

"Connect me to Strike Team B"

"Connecting!"

The mud stained face of Brigitte Lindholm appeared on the screen, clearly fatigued from hours of fighting.

"Captain Lindholm reporting!"

"Captain, what is going on? You should be on your way to Strike Team C now"

"Sir! We've ju- GET DOWN!"

A huge explosion ripped through the coms, followed by multiple shouting, gunfire and the last image on screen was Brigitte readying her mace and activating her shield, crying "Alla till mig!" before disconnecting.

Without missing a beat, Morrison turned to the person next to him.

"What is the status for Team B's ammunition and biotic fields?"

The logistician frantically looks through her screen, quickly calculating the average numbers from the live reports constantly changing before their eyes.

"Report: Team B's ammunition is down 65%, biotic fields down 73%, estimated effective combat performance… 40 minutes if their accuracy remains above 78%, 25% below the expected estimates"

As soon as she finished her report, Brigitte appeared on screen again, a fresh cut above her right eyelid, the blood forcing her to close her eyes.

"We've taken a lot of casualties! We cannot advance until the medical team extracts the wounded!"

Upon hearing this and combined with the report of the team's careless use of their resources, Morrison almost slammed his fist on the Command Board, but experience held him back.

"Captain" said the Commander quietly "You know the importance of this mission, Reinhardt is counting on you"

A painful silence stretched after those words as the room held its breath, waiting to see how the fiery Swiss would react.

"Affirmative"

The screen turned black, leaving the map of Russia to burn into everyone's eyes, as if taunting them that despite their efforts, they could barely contain the crisis.

"Who is closest to Captain Lindholm?" Morrison barked.

The room quickly scouted their screens, desperate to find any available teams that have completed their mission and are able to provide effective assistance.

"To the east, across the mountains! 125 miles. Strike Team G under the command of Captain Pharah, has completed their mission and are waiting for further orders!" came a shouted reply.

"Order them to assist Team B immediately and –"

The next hour went by as a blur, Morrison coordinated everything as if directing an orchestra. Thanks to his enhanced mind and experience, he secured victories, permitted defeats while minimizing casualties and ordered tactical retreats.

At the end of the hour, many Omnic factories are disabled, ensuring that the Russian Armies will not be overrun for at least another month.

"Order everyone to return to base, make sure to remind them to do it quietly. Remember. We were never involved" he ordered.

"Yes sir" came the chorus reply.

As Morrison stepped out of the room, a runner came up to him almost instantly.

"Sir" he panted "Th-there was an emergency beacon that has been activated in Malaysia!"

Morrison recognizes this is one of the new recruits, Private Alex.

"And why should this be a concern?"

The Private stared at him for a moment before replying.

"S-sir? It is an emergency beacon, we have to respond"

"I do not remember sending any operatives to Malaysia within the past 5 years, a rat might have activated the beacon"

"It came with a message" passing the tablet to the Commander for review.

Morrison let out a long sigh "I swear, if this is an automated message…"

"No sir, it states that a Corporal Zero from the MGF had just awoke from a cryo sleep and has requested anyone who receives the message to collect him"

"MGF?" Morrison repeated in surprise "Impossible, that unit has been disbanded since…"

Before Morrison could complete the sentence, he saw the location of the beacon and immediately realized an opportunity.

Just then a staff exited the room behind him and almost walked into the Commander.

"S-sorry Commander"

"Which team is closest to the base, Colonel Smith?" he asked without looking back.

"Sir! Lieutenant Oxton sir!" he replied immediately, knowing full well their Commander expects them to be updated with relevant information at all times.

"Pass on my orders" ignoring the Colonel whipping out a notebook, something that always irritates him greatly.

"An emergency beacon has been activated in Malaysia, once she returns, she has 20 minutes to refuel and rearm. Primary Objective: Seek out who or whatever activated the beacon, if the package is advantageous to our cause, bring it back. Secondary Objective: If there is anything that threatens our efforts there, destroy it"

"Affirmative, Commander"

"Oh and one more thing" Morrison added "If the Primary Objective is a living package, tell her to have a more "friendly" approach, we do not want another Mei incident"

"Yes sir"

"Private Alex, ensure all operatives will receive a good meal when they return, go"

Both the Colonel and Private took off to their respective duties, leaving the Commander alone with his thoughts.

"Finally I found you…" he thought.


	3. Chp 3 - Battle of Drug Den 1

*Malaysia: Somewhere in the jungle*

"I counted… About 30 armed. The rest seem to be workers" Quillion whispered.

"There are a lot of trucks outside but only 5 seem to be armed with something" Tracer added.

Quillion and Tracer had rushed towards the source of the commotion and positioned themselves on the third floor, hiding behind one of the many old statues.

Below, a crowd of people are quickly setting up huge pots, barrels, and various other equipment, forcing them into any space they could find.

"By the looks of it, they are not survivors or bandits… Their weapons are too sophistic-" Quillion began.

Tracer cut him off with a wave of her hand.

"They belong to one of the most powerful drug lords in this region, we have been tracking them for months, looks like we finally found 'em" Tracer said as she points to the strange plant looking logo merged with a snake on the barrels and bags of powder on the other side of the room.

"Okay... I think we can sneak away from there" he said, pointing to a fire exit at the opposite side of the mall.

Tracer shook her head "Sorry luv, I have orders to destroy anything that is a threat to our cause, this is one of 'em"

"I thought you are here to extract me?"

"We are a bit understaffed so we have to multitask, you can hide here if you don't want to help"

Quillion weighed his options and sighed, though he disliked helping strangers, he despised drug dealers. As if on queue, a group of guards took a huge whiff of the yellow powder, obviously getting high.

Angered by the sight, he made his decision. Unzipping his backpack, he quickly inspects his inventory, which includes:

1\. 5 Magazines for his XM-80 Smart Rifle, all Explosive Rounds  
2\. 20 Steel Tipped AP Rounds for the .55 Cal Revolver  
3\. 4 Electrical Pulse Grenades  
4\. 1 MGF Standard Combat "Parang"

"Can't use my rifle" Quillion said with a hint of frustration as he inspected the magazines.

Tracer looked at the inventory "Why not? Seems enough for a skirmish, though the MGF are famed for their adaptability?"

"We are" he replied "But my gear is specifically for Omnics – Explosives" he added when she gave him an inquisitive look "Not a drug den. Unless you want to get high on… Whatever they're cooking"

"Fair enough, don't worry, I've got this" she said with a confident smile.

Too confident.

"Do you have backup nearby?"

"No, though they will be here in 30 minutes, but we should be done before they arrive"

Quillion took a quick glance at her jacket and realized there are no pockets or anything at all to contain any sort of ammunition.

"How much ammunition do you have?" he asked.

She giggled.

"Enough"

Quillion frowned, is she really his contact or is she just crazy? But she did snuck up and got the better of him. Maybe she will take a stealth approach? The moonlight does not reach the third floor so they have plenty of options for stealth.

"Alright, I'll provide overwatch from here with this" he said as he loads his revolver "Let me know when to assist"

Tracer giggled even more and with a wide smile she said "I think we are going to make a great team luv"

And with a wink, she cleared her throat, stood up, and jumped onto the statue they were hiding behind, and in full view of everyone, she issued her challenge.

"Alright! The jig is up! Menyerahkan diri!"

Quillion froze in horror. Really?! A frontal approach?!

But the activity below continued their work, Tracer's challenge was drowned in the noise, which annoyed her greatly. She took a deep breath and before Quillion could grab her…

"I said!" shouting louder now, pointing her guns to the busy floor, both emitting a blue light "Menyerahkan diri!".

She squeezed both triggers and her guns spat blue beams into the crowd. Panicked shouting filled the room as everyone scrambled for cover from the sudden onslaught. Quillion immediately stood up and fired a shot at a sniper he had been eyeing at the right, his round tearing its robotic arm apart.

"Atas! Atas!"

Quillion saw the armed guards pointing at them, or rather, the lights from Tracer's weapon, which is leaving a clear trail in the darkness. A sudden volley of bullets peppered their location, forcing Quillion to take cover as the guards fired wildly.

"Tracer! Get down!"

He did not see her jumping down nor did she respond. The hail of bullets intensified, covering Quillion with dust and rubble.

"Tra-" Quillion looked up and blinked confusingly as she was no longer there. He looked around and saw there are long corridors on both sides of the mall.

"No one is that fast" he thought to himself.

He was sure she was not shot as he would have definitely heard it and it will be impossible for her to jump down.

"Am… Am I dreaming or have I gone crazy?" Quillion thought to himself. Before he could ponder on further, he felt himself lurch backwards as the statue began to crumble.

"Well, not gonna sit here and find out".

He armed an Electrical Pulse Grenade and threw it where he last saw the most enemies are grouped at. There was a flash accompanied by multiple screams and the shots fired towards him have decreased. Those may be lethal to Omnics, it still packs a shocking punch.

Quillion took the opportunity to rush out of cover in search for a target. He saw 6 men are on the floor, their bodies still convulsing from the electrical pulse and a guard firing randomly at his general direction, clearly too flustered to make an accurate shot.

He raised his revolver and squeezed the trigger. The weapon bucked hard, forcing his arm up into the air as it delivered its deadly package. Just before Quillion ducked behind another statue, he saw the guard's weapon shatter, throwing him to the ground with bloodied arms.

8 down, 22 to go…

"Cepat! Cepat! Sana!" he heard them shout before being met with a hail of bullets. He retaliated with 2 blind fires over his head, ensuring they saw the massive fireball his revolver emits before dashing to a new cover.

He peeked out of his new spot and counted 8 guards firing randomly from a nearby staircase towards where he was just a moment ago. That was when he saw something that drew the attention from everyone in the room.

Tracer is amongst the guards in the middle of the room, then she is not. Appearing and disappearing rapidly in and out of existence in whiffs of blue blurs, she fired her weapons that never seem to require a reload while smiling as if she is actually enjoying herself.

He stared in awe as she took on multiple hostiles effortlessly, never staying in the same spot for more than a second. Each time someone tries to rush her, she will disappear and appear in thin air randomly, her pistols constantly spitting blue light everywhere, forcing tremendous pressure onto the guards.

Quillion then decided to add to the confusion by shouting "Lari! Lari!" whilst firing his last round in the chamber into the air, its explosive roar echoed, causing some guards to drop to the ground in fear.

It was not long before they ran out of the mall screaming "Hantu! Biru Hantu!". Quillion can't help but smile at that as he grew up in a superstitious culture, this gave him a sense of attachment to the past, even though he never participated in them.

He felt the air behind him shifted, making him jump.

"Hey you ain't half bad Corporal" Tracer said playfully as she punched his shoulder.

Quillion felt his blood boil, her plan was reckless and dangerous, needlessly risking her life when there are other alternatives. He was about to turn around to give her a piece of his mind when suddenly their world exploded as multiple rockets flew into the mall.

* * *

Translations for some of the Malay words used here:

1\. Menyerahkan diri – Surrender youselves

2\. Atas – Up there/On top/Up

3\. Cepat – Quick/Fast/Faster

4\. Lari – Run

5\. Hantu – Ghost

6\. Biru – Blue

7\. Sana - There

I may use some different language in the future, would the readers prefer the translation be in the story within brackets?

Eg: When they saw her, they screamed "Dia ialah biru hantu! (She's the blue ghost!)

Or would the readers prefer this style where the translation is at the bottom?


	4. Chp 4 - Battle of Drug Den 2

*Gibraltar: Watchpoint*

"You did what?!" roared a very angry Winston.

"I sent her on a mission to Malaysia to retrieve whoever activated the Emergency Beacon and potentially destroy anything that does not meet our interest" repeated a bored Morrison flatly.

Winston stormed into Morrison's office when he was informed that Tracer was sent off to another mission, missing her maintenance schedule for her Chronal Accelerator.

"I trust you have not forgotten that after every battle it is imperative that I check her Accelerator?" seethed the scientist.

"No I did not. But, this is important. We finally found one of the biggest drug dens we have seen in a while, Lena was the most capable agent available to destroy it"

"Available? She was still on the way back from Russia!"

"Enough, she has already made contact with this Corporal Zero and have engaged the drug den, she should have destroyed it by now"

Winston continue pacing around.

"I do not like this Jack, not only you sent her without having her equipment checked or proper rest, you sent her there without backup"

Morrison sighed heavily and took a sip from his drink on his desk.

"She is no longer a child Winston… She can take care of herself"

"Don't you dare lecture me Jack, you were not the one who had to help her come back to the present and you certainly did not help in her recovery"

With that, Winston stormed out of the office, leaving an exhausted Morrison to himself.

* * *

*Malaysia: Somewhere in the jungle*

Quillion and Tracer found themselves on the floor, the force of the explosion knocked all the air out of their lungs. Both looked at each other in confusion and before they felt it.

Despite being on the third floor, the ground shook as if something is marching towards them in a unified manner.

Quillion mouthed "hide", before dragging himself towards an overturned table while Tracer rolled to a nearby pillar.

Then he saw something that made his groan.

Marching into sight are 5 Bastion Units, each painted in elaborate graffiti. He looked over to Tracer, who is nursing her chest piece where visible cracks has appeared, and tried to get her attention, but to no avail.

"Fine" he thought, "Just need to reach my rifle"

Ever so slowly, he began crawling towards where he last left it on the other side of the mall.

He felt the Bastions are beginning to spread out as the vibrations began to dilute.

"Must be moving upstairs" he thought.

Looking behind him, he saw Tracer, who has now removed her goggles, is still nursing her contraption as the blue light began to flash randomly.

"Tracer! They're coming! Move!" he whispered.

She shook her head violently and looked at him for a brief moment, confusion sketched across her face, her hazel brown eyes now teary and she began hyperventilating, her breathing growing steadily louder.

The vibration on the ground stopped, which means they detected something.

"Tracer! Calm down! Or so God help me -"

Too late.

Massive firepower obliterated their location as huge caliber bullets rip through everything and anything that it hits.

Quillion barely had time to roll away before holes appear on the floor under him.

"Common!" he shouted as he grabbed Tracer and dragged her away from danger.

He threw themselves into an old clothes store and, once properly hidden behind a counter, grabbed Tracer by the shoulders and force her to look at him.

"Okay, I do not know why you decide now is a good time to panic but NOW is NOT the time!" he snarled angrily. She stares back blankly without a response.

"Look, I did not survive through that cold hell just to be killed by a bunch of old fashion Bastions in a drug factory. So, use your magical jumping powers to distract them so I can grab my rifle, got it?"

She remained unresponsive, then he noticed one of her eyes became unfocused. He panicked, is she hit? Heavy internal bleeding? He quickly looked for a wound or blood but he could not find any.

Before he could think or ask anything else, she suddenly reached out and grabbed his face with a surprisingly strong grip, and forced him to look back at her.

"You… You have nice eyes…" she mumbled.

Then realization hit Quillion like thunder. He knock her hand away, ignoring her protest, and grabbed her face.

"I… I don't swing... That way… Luv…" she giggled as he inspects her closely.

Then he found it, a slight yellow trail just under her nose. The explosion must have knocked some of the powder towards them and she accidentally inhaled some.

Cursing to himself for his bad luck, he reloads his revolver before grabbing a nearby cloth and threw it over Tracer.

"Wha- Who turned off the lights?" he heard her mumble.

"I'll be back soon, just… Just stay here, I'll come back for you" he replied.

Without waiting for a response, he darted out of the store.


	5. Chp 5 - Talon Council Meeting

*Venice: Talon Base*

It has been 10 months since the first council meeting. 10 months since they initiated the Second Omnic Crisis. Now in this same room, though devoid of any decorations, 4 supremely powerful and dangerous individuals sat together once again, waiting to update their progress on creating an endless global conflict. The 4 individuals are as follows:

The Head of Casino Monaco and business-omnic: Maxilimien who sat still as a statue, careful not to create any unnecessary creases on his Stuart Huges suit, despite it being the cheapest selection in his collection, while constantly watching and remaining in contact with his business partners within his system.

The Master of Genetics: Moira O'Deorain who is conducting an unknown experiment on a rat that she brought, constantly absorbing its life through her right hand, causing it to convulse intensely, before using her left to grant it back some of its life, robbing the rat the death it now starves for. Many speculate that she is trying to see if its cells would evolve to resist or combat her abilities.

The Mercenary: Gabriel Reyes (aka Reaper) sat almost as still as Maxilimien, carefully studying the room for escape routes and killing spots, as was his habit. However, he will be content as long as he is getting paid. Which he was. Talon always pays.

And finally, the De Facto Leader of Talon: Akande Ogundimu (aka Doomfist) who sits at the end of the High Table, the sound of his finger tapping on the oak table deliberately and loudly, echoing in the silent room as cracks began to appear where his finger is tapping.

All of them stared quietly at the door for the final member to arrive. Though he is not late by any means, it is a personal insult to each of them to keep them waiting in a room away from their projects. However, each of them recognize that they are all key figures for the goals of Talon so they will avoid killing him. For now.

Finally, 15 minutes before the meeting officially begins, footsteps are heard, and the door swung open, revealing Sanjay Korpal, an official from Vishkar Corporation in South India.

He looked stunned for a moment to see everyone staring at him silently before recovering a calm posture and taking his seat on the table.

"Welcome everyone, the Second Omnic Crisis has been delayed, why?" Ogundimu asked.

Though his voice is calm, it is laced with threats that sent shivers down everyone's spine, even Maxilimien shifted uneasily in his chair.

"Reaper, please give us your report"

Reaper growled quietly behind his mask.

"Please? Is he treating me like a child?" he thought.

"I have eliminated most of Russia's military figures and ensured their replacements are… Desperate"

Ogundimu raised an eyebrow.

"I take it that there are a few more competent soldiers in the Russian army?"

"Only one left that is considered a threat, Aleksandra Zaryanova"

"One?" the Talon Leader said, emphasizing the word deliberately.

Reaper nodded, returning the stare behind his mask, secretly forming his Hellfire Shotguns in his long sleeves. Ogundimu smiled and stood up, walked over to Reaper and put his hand around his shoulder. Reaper slowly slide his Hellfire Shotguns closer to his hands.

"Let us all give our friend Reaper an applause for his efforts to our work"

Awkward clapping sounded from the table but it stopped when Doomfist began closing his grip, his expression remained the same as he continued in the same calm voice.

"I trust…" he said slowly to Reaper, "That you, my good friend…" he further tighten his grip, causing the mercenary to shake and winch violently "Will be able to deal with this Aleksandra…" now forcing him to sit back down "Zaryanova", a loud crack was heard and Reaper finally gave a cry of pain, his shoulder completely dislocated and Doomfist's fingers have clearly broke the collarbone "Before our next meeting yes? We could not afford another delay"

Reaper could only nod as the pain prevented him from answering.

"Very good, you may need to get that injury checked out, it seems to be effecting your… Performance"

Reaper looked up and saw Doomfist dangling both of his Hellfire Shotguns in his other hand before crushing them into smoke. Silence now fill the room as Ogundimu release Reaper and slowly return to his seat, leaving the mercenary groaning on the table.

"Now, how about you Maxilimien? Anything we should know about?"

The Omnic's response is clear and authoritative but careful.

"We have increased our funding for the Omnic Revolution (aka 2nd Omnic Crisis) by 20%, just last month we have smuggled one of the largest shipments of materials into Russia for their factories. By our previous estimations, they should have conquered Russia two months ago"

Every eye was darting between Maxilimien and Ogundimu when he said this, they saw a flash of anger glinting in his eye before he asked the inevitable question.

"Why?"

"My spies verified that a well-coordinated and precise blitz from a group of vigilantes have disabled or destroyed most key facilities that are vital to the Revolution. Further pressure from the Russian armies have also made things difficult for the Omnics to coordinate a counter attack due to the lack of repair centers and weapons"

"What is your solution?"

"We calculate that Widow Maker and Sombra will be needed as they possess the skills to hunt down these vigilantes, we wish to have your permission to lend them to us for a few months. Once the vigilantes are eliminated, the war will be tipped towards the Omnic's favor by 60%"

"Done"

"Thank you, my report is completed"

"Sanjay, anything important to report?"

The question to him came so sudden he barely had time to formulate words.

"The Vishkar Corporation have increased its influence in Italy, soon I will be able to order a construction of a hard light dome over this base, making it impervious from any aerial assaults and furthermore" he glanced towards Moira "We will be able to share resources to further enhance its destructive potential"

Ogundimu now turned his attention to the last present member, barely acknowledging the last report.

"How is our guest adapting to his environment?"

"He is adapting well and is becoming stronger each day" she paused for a moment before continuing, "However our studies has not revealed how he could control gravity so freely. But I assure you sir, science will reveal the truth"

"What is the progress on Subject Soldier?" Ogundimu asked, now his hands clamp together on the table, Moira took a gulp before answering.

"So far… It has also been delayed…" she managed out before quickly saying "But we have made some progress"

"What progress?" his voice dark now, he look at her as if a lion just spotted a prey "Because to me, all I hear is failure"

"W-we just need a few more months" she stammered "All the mistakes we have made has been corrected from the last subject, we just need to wait for the next fetus to be ready before we inject it with –"

"You have 2 months, if there is no positive result, you will be replaced"

Moira stood with her mouth agape, 2 months? Before she could protest that the experiment requires at least 6 more months, Doomfist stood up again, silencing her.

"Meeting adjourned. Return to your posts. We are done here"

* * *

For an idea which meeting room I am using for my story, just check the Talon - Overwatch Wiki "The inner council" image. I would have left the link but I do not think I can put it in.


	6. Chp 6 - Battle of Drug Den - End

*Malaysia: Somewhere in the jungle*

Using the cover of darkness, the guerilla fighter darted from store to store, his senses heightened as he observed the Bastion units. 3 remained at the ground floor, moving around in a very static patrol route. The other 2 are taking turns to search each floor, one unit is already moving to the third floor, while the other unit remain on the second. Which gives the Corporal roughly 5 minutes to reach his primary weapon.

"No pressure, I can get there in 4" he thought to himself.

He traced a path back to his inventory and took a deep breath.

"Just like old times" he encouraged himself before he disappeared into the darkness.

*5 minutes later*

A Bastion Unit, one of the most dangerous weapon to be deployed onto the battlefield by the Omnics, capable to level this entire mall and still have half of its arsenal. So 1 man against 5 Bastion units? Impossible odds.

At least that was what Quillion thought when he first saw them entering the mall, however, upon closer inspection, he noticed that these units are heavily rusted and ill maintained, its movements are slowed and its reaction time are lagging, but most importantly, these models do not have a sentry mode.

He smiled at this revelation as he took aim with his rifle above the unsuspecting Bastion walking under him. He has a chance.

With a deep breath, he pulled the trigger.

The effect was immediate. The bullet penetrated the back of the Bastion easily, its explosion tore it apart from the inside. It fell to its knees as it struggles to turn around to see its assailant. Quillion slid down from the statue and ran towards it, ending its "life" by pressing his revolver to the back of its head and shot it execution style.

All 4 Bastions reacted and fired upon the source of the noise, destroying everything their bullets hit. Quillion barely had time to dart across the mall while intentionally putting as much distance as he could from the clothes store. He saw the Bastion unit patrolling the second floor and quickly fired 3 shots at it. He watched in satisfaction as 3 burning holes appeared on the Bastion's body.

However, it remained operational and quickly retaliated by firing wildly at his general direction, which Quillion has already relocated from, though shattered glass and rubble continued to rain down on him, cutting his face and arms as he ran.

"That's my last cover" he thought, noticing the last position he could use as cover is too close to Tracer while the rest of the mall has been obliterated by the previous rocket barrage

"Guess I have no choice but to do it then…"

Flipping his fire selector to his personal "Get Wrecked" label, the rifle hummed significantly louder at this command.

Closing his eyes, he focused his body to produce more adrenaline, he felt his body began to ache from the strain, his heart beating unnaturally fast, he felt light headed and his vision become sharper. 2 seconds. Only 2 seconds.

"Ready" he thought to himself before stepping out of cover.

The average rate of fire a Bastion unit can deliver per second is about 5 rounds. To the adrenaline filled Quillion, they were only firing one shot every 2 seconds. He stood up out of cover and took aim at the seemingly frozen Bastions.

*First Second*

In quick successions, he squeezed 4 shots for each Bastion, stepping quickly towards his right as he shoots, leaving a trail of bullet casing suspended in the air and ensuring an empty chamber as the weapon slams in the next bullet.

*Second Second*

He ejected the empty magazine by lifting his gun, the empty container now hanging in the air while the other hand grabbed a full magazine from his pocket and slamming it into the gun.

*Third Second*

Quillion's adrenaline disappeared like vapor and his efforts were immediate. As if someone pressed play, all 4 Bastions were met with an array of extremely accurate shots, all 16 bullets blew up instantaneously in each Bastion while the casings and magazine dropped to the ground simultaneously.

He staggered and dropped to his knees as the vertigo was immediate, causing him to vomit while glancing at the now burning Bastions. Each have been obliterated, 3 huge holes in vital areas of its motherboard and each head has a significant chunk missing.

He smiled at this victory and took a deep breath of relief… Choking immediately.

The flames from the rockets and his explosive rounds have spread and reached the drug stash, filling the air with its poisonous fumes.

"Oh shi…" Quillion thought, trying to crawl towards Tracer, the fumes now filling his lungs, making the vertigo worse. "Just… A little bit further…". His arms began to feel heavy. Too heavy. His world spun like a weaver performance.

"Stay focus Corporal…" he told himself.

The heat is intensifying. He's almost there, he just need to grab her and run.

"Tracer…" his world spun into darkness.

* * *

*Venice: Talon Base*

Moira is back in her office, her notes scattered throughout the table, reading and re-reading everything, desperately searching for something to speed up her work. Outside of her door is the laboratory, now alive with a flurry of activity. Everyone was recalled to work overtime, their leader forcing them to push for results to meet the new deadline.

Deep down she knew their efforts are in vain, there was no way, scientifically, that their current project could be possible within 2 months. But the image of Doomfist or even Reaper coming after her is too much to bear, she will have to further break the laws of science to make this work.

Slamming both hands on the table she groaned in frustration. She already pushed this project to its absolute limits, grasping around in the dark in unexplored territory and pushed the study of genealogy deeper than anyone dared to.

"There is one more method that I have not tried" she thought to herself. She has not adopted this method as the risks that came with it are too high to ignore, but the new deadline has forced her hand to risk the risks.

Fading out of her office, she reappeared inside the "Nursery" where the "Discarded" are kept, orphans no older than 7 whom were rejected by society are kept in horrific environments. Some are left dangling in glass boxes over simulations of skies or mountains, some exposed to extreme heat or cold, some are kept in endless violent simulations, but none have yet shown signs of the genetic mutations Moira has hoped to achieve.

However, only one child had shown some progress, though only slightly. Only one had evolved further than any of her test subjects of Subject Soldier. As there isn't enough time to wait for another subject, it is now all or nothing. Entering room 28, she saw the scientist studying a child carefully as her appearance change ever so slightly to the pictures in front of her.

"How is SS28?"

The scientist jumped in shock at the sudden appearance of his boss before regaining his posture. He set aside his clipboard on his desk and replied "She has progress further into her evolution. It is a pity that she will be disposed before she reaches her full potential"

"She will not be disposed" Moira said while staring at SS28, ignoring the scientist's surprised look. "Proceed with Phase 3 of the experiment"

"But… Dr. O'Deorain, she is not ready for that, the risks are –" the scientist began before he notice that he is thirsty. Really thirsty. He tried to talk but found his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth, too dry to even make a noise. His heart began beating erratically and his muscles throbbing painfully as he felt his life literally slipping away. He fell to the floor gasping before he saw a purple trail emitting from Moira's right hand.

"We will proceed with Phase 3, understood?" she said calmly, now her eyes fixated at him struggling on the floor, a sadistic smile appearing on her lips. With great efforts, he nodded. She raised her left hand, emitting the strange yellow gas over him, allowing him to live another day.

"Very good… Now proceed"

She looked back at SS28 and was satisfied to see her project before her. Though she is still only 6 years old, she is staring back at them as if she understood every word they had said and have already copied half of Moira's face onto her own.


	7. Chp 7 - Extracted

*Mediterranean Sea: Overwatch Shuttle*

A slight bump woke Quillion up with a start.

There is a slight vibrating around him and a steady hum of an engine. Keeping his eyes closed he racked his brain to recollect what has happened before he fainted.

There was a drug den where he fought with a magical soldier, he took out 5 Bastions and passed out from the fumes.

"What kind of a stupid dream was that?" he thought to himself before he heard a familiar voice near him.

"Angela? Lena here, I've got someone who has been knocked out for over a day now, what should I do?" her voice is calm but concerned. Guess it wasn't a dream.

He heard a woman reply from the other side of the phone and Tracer groaned in frustration "Really? I mean it'll be a grand shame if he kicks the bucket now ya know? He did just wake up from being an ice cube".

The voice continued saying something before Tracer finally said "Yeah yeah, I know, don't worry about me, thanks luv" before he heard her tossing the phone to the side.

"Uuuggghhhh" she groaned out and felt her looking at him "Common now luv, if you go now how could I ever thank you?"

"Water will be a good start" he croaked out after realizing he is rather thirsty.

He heard her jump in shock before he heard water spilling onto the floor.

"Oh bollocks!" he heard her before she fill the second cup, which she accidentally spill all over his face as she slipped on the water she just spilled.

"Whoops!" she said "I swear I'm not this clumsy, guess I'm still staggered from the last scuffle eh?"

"No worries…" he said truthfully, now opening his eyes, seeing her for the first time. She has changed out of her combat gear and is wearing only a grey shirt and brown pants.

"Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes" he blurted out without thinking, cursing at himself for saying it. Seeing her in casual clothing made him forget that they are still in a military operation. As soldiers there should not be any attempts for attachments or flirting between soldiers.

But she just smiled sweetly and said "Why thank you, you don't look too bad yourself"

"Yeah right" he thought. He looks at his surroundings and found that he is in some sort of medical bay. He saw he has been connected to some machines that showed a steady beeping of what he guesses is his heart rate. He also noticed that someone changed his attire, he is now wearing a shirt and pants.

"How did we get here?" he asked as he tried to look around but was forced to do it slowly as he still feels the effects of his vertigo.

"Well, there was a fire and I saw you have passed out, but my team got to us just in time"

"Are we on some kind of shuttle?" he asked.

She did not reply, instead she pushed the straw into his mouth, allowing him to take a long cooling drink. He made efforts to sit up but Tracer placed a hand on his shoulder and force him back down.

"Just rest, we can talk more later" she said

"Okay… Just two more questions, since it has been a day since we were in the mall, so one: where are we and what is our destination, and two: where is my gear?"

Her eyes open wide in surprise, "He is very alert for a normal guy, he heard my call?" she thought.

"That's three questions, but yes we are in my shuttle, on the way to our base, we should be there in another day or so" she replied cheerfully, pouring Quillion another cup, "You're gonna love it there, hot food, hot showers, but most importantly, everyone is there to make the world a better place and…"

He waited for her to finish the sentence and saw her frozen in place, her eyes staring towards nothing. He knows that look, all soldiers have it, the Stare.

A moment passed before Tracer recovered and place the cup next to him, wearing a forced smile "Well it is a good place to be, your gear is under the bed".

He cleared his throat "Err… Tracer… If you need someone to talk to, soldier to soldier, I'll be here". Her mood darkened, anger and frustration replace the happy features.

"What do you mean by that" she snapped at him.

"I… I mean if… You need someone to talk to…" he stuttered.

"No I don't! God! Why everyone needs me to talk?!" she shouted and stormed off the room.

"Stupid" he muttered to himself "Very smooth man… You finally found a potential friend and you pissed her off"

He looked under the bed slowly and saw his backpack with his clothes folded next it.

"Well, not going to stay here and wait" he thought to himself as he reached for them.

* * *

*Gibraltar: Watchpoint*

"Winston?" voiced a soothing female voice. Winston grunted and continued snoring, his hand still holding a banana and a peanut butter jar in his mouth. "Winston!" the voice continued.

"Nonoweettheela…" he muffled, changing his position to find that cozy spot. He was just about to drift back to his sleep when suddenly the voice cried "Winston! It's Reaper!"

Immediately, Winston rolled backwards and grab his Tesla Cannon, priming it for battle as his eyes darts across the room, looking for the black mercenary.

But his room is empty. No Reaper, no danger, nothing.

"I apologize Winston, but you instructed me to do anything to wake you up if Lena calls back" said Athena, flashing Tracer's call on her screen.

Winston's annoyance at Athena's methods vanished, jumping towards the computer he pressed the "Y". Lena face appeared on the screen, looking tired and flustered.

"Lena, are you alright?" he said, relieved to hear from her.

"Hey big guy… Yeah I'm ok. We are on the way back, ETA 2 hours… Just wanna call ya to get the lab ready, my Accelerator needs a top up since it got pretty banged up"

Despite her calm demeanor, Winston can sense something is bothering her.

"What's wrong Lena?" he asked softly.

"What's wrong? Nothing is wrong, why would anything be wrong?" she replied quickly. Too quickly.

He stared back at her patiently, allowing her to decide if she wants to continue the conversation.

"I mean…" she began fidgeting in her seat "I completed the mission. Nothing can be wrong right?"

Winston sighed "Yes you are right. I'm just glad you are safe", she nodded, grateful he did not inquire further.

A moment of silence stretched before Lena spoke again.

"Winston… Have I made a difference today?" she asked quietly.

His eyes widen at those words "Of course! You gave the world a chance to be better"

"How?" she pressed on, sadness laced in her word.

Winston was at a loss for words. After another uncomfortable silence, he finally said "Lena… You must be exhausted. Why don't you rest first when you come back? We will continue this when you're rested."

She sighed and nodded before disconnecting the call. Winston slumped into his cushion, letting out a huge sigh as he massaged his eyes.

"What am I going to do with her Athena?" he asked. The computer lit up and the program Athena appeared.

"From my calculations, I believe you have done all you could to help her. Now she will need to forgive herself for what happened"

"But it was not her fault" Winston sighed "She has nothing to forgive"

"That may be true to us. But it is not true for her. You, Zenyatta, Genji, and myself – we have all done our part to help her. Now it is time for her to help herself"

Winston grunted in response. As much as he does not want to admit it, she is right. They had done everything they could, years of therapy, companionship, and support has indeed made huge improvements, however the most important element remains. If she refuse to move on, they could only do so much. In the end, their final obstacle is Lena herself.

"Winston" Athena spoke again.

"Yes Athena?"

"It has been 736 hours since your last cardio, I would highly suggest you to complete a session before they return"

"Uuuuuggggghhhhhhhh…" he groaned as he reached for another banana.

* * *

Good day readers!

Thank you very much for showing interest for my story, I hope it has been a somewhat interesting ride so far.

Just to inform everyone I plan to make the updates every Friday at 20:00 (WA time) until further notice. So the next update will be on the 15th November.

PS. I personally thought the Overwatch 2.0 trailer looked great. Mercy had the most epic entrance but Genji stole the show. I personally think that Genji's ultimate should've knocked the hand away instead of slicing it off since now everyone is saying Genji should've solo-ed the robot.


	8. Chp 8 - Old Memories

Dear readers!

I know that in the previous chapter I said I'll post next Friday but... I figured that's a bit too long so here's one chapter to fill the gap.

Thanks for reading and have a good day!

* * *

*Mediterranean Sea: Overwatch Shuttle*

Lena Oxton remain seated after calling Winston, haunted by a hidden pain that she tried so hard to express a moment ago. Now it lingers as a strange coldness gripping her chest. She looked around her private quarters and despite her exhaustion from her missions in Russia and Malaysia, she is unable to feel at peace or find rest.

This used to be where she could be herself, a place where she could take off all her masks and still feel safe. Now it is a cold, sad, and crushing, being alone is no longer an option for her as her thoughts has lost its colorful memories and is now haunted by that one incident. That one incident that could've prevented the war.

She needs to get out. She needs a group of people who could distract her from the memory and find things to be cheerful about, even if it makes no sense. She quickly secured her harness and blinked into the Pilot Seat.

"Heya!"

"Whoa!" the pilot jumped in his seat, quickly closing the video on his tablet "Tracer! You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

She laughed, she has always preferred an informal crew.

"Whatcha watching?"

"Never mind that" he said, ignoring her question and quickly deleting his search history "Shouldn't you be asleep? I know you're tough but to go from Russia to Asia on the same day? That will knock anyone out"

"As they always say, the night's still young!" she replied cheerfully.

"Right… So how can Uncle Lox be of service today?"

"Nothing much, just thought to inspect everyone ya know?"

Lox snorted "Well that's a first, well, so far the skies are clear and no one detected us flying through their airspace so everything is just peachy"

"That's a bloody good job, keep it-" a yawn suddenly overtook her words, surprising herself.

"I really think you should get some rest, you don't have to force yourself to make an inspection after everything you did" Lox said with an eyebrow raised.

Feeling that the conversation has come to a very disappointing end, she conceded.

"Yeah maybe, well, I'll make a few more rounds before that then"

"Right" he replied, taking out his tablet again "You do that"

In a blink, she vanished.

"Phew… That was a close …" the pilot sighed, turning back to his screen.

Tracer reappeared outside of the Private Quarters and was about to knock when she heard loud snoring from all the 5 soldiers who volunteered to come with her. "Poor chaps" she thought, quietly walking away, they rescued more than 100 civilians while fighting off a group of Omnics in Russia and just trekked through a jungle within 3 days. They earned their rest.

She grew frustrated. There was no one to keep her mind occupied, the pilot is busy and her men are sleeping. The only one who she hasn't checked is…

"No" she shook her head "Now may not be the time to talk to him" but as she was about to blink back to her own quarters, the memory of her storming off just moments before stopped her.

"I do feel bad to leave as I did… Should I apologize?" she thought to herself "But why should I apologize? It's his fault, he should apologize. Yes… I should make him apologize!". Despite knowing that is a poor reason to visit, she needed someone to talk to, even if it has to be a stranger.

"Sorry to barge in like thi-" she stopped mid sentence as she blinked into the Medical Bay. She looked around the small room, realizing that it is vacant.

"Wha-?" she looked under the bed to find the backpack missing but his weapons are still next to the door, confusing her further.

She began blinking randomly around the shuttle. It is not a big or even a medium class shuttle by any means. In fact, there was nowhere to hide, A few corridors, 4 rooms and the Pilot Seat. So where could he be? Finally, she blinked back in the Medical Bay and began grabbing her hair saying "Oh no, no, no, no, why? The mission has been completed! Why?"

Just then, the door opened behind her "Oh, didn't expect to see you here".

Hearing his voice, she turned around and saw he is holding a book and a pencil. He is noticeably cleaner as well.

"Where did you go? I was looking all over for you!" she scolded.

He cocked his head to the side confusingly and replied "I was just outside the door, there is a window there so I decided to sketch something to pass the time"

"Outside the do-?" without finishing the sentence she blinked behind him and sure enough, there is a window with a clear view of the sky and below.

"So you were just… Outside sketching?" she said weakly.

"Yeah, just thought to stay close to the Medical Bay in case someone comes looking, but…" he said, eyeing her Accelerator "I did not expect you to appear into rooms randomly" he paused for a moment before saying "Next time I should leave a note eh?". He chuckled at his own joke and Lena can't help but smile at that.

"So why did you decide to come?" he asked "To make sure I haven't died halfway in the journey?"

"I wanted…" she stopped herself, "This is the first time he seems relaxed, it would be terrible to ruin his mood now" she thought to herself.

"I wanted to see if you needed something to do for the next 2 hours, but I guess I didn't need to worry" she lied.

"Oh, yes, I was getting bored and I realize the flight has been very smooth, so I thought it will be a good opportunity to sketch"

An awkward silence dragged between them for a moment.

"So… Watcha sketchin'?" she finally asked.

"Just some random chicken scratches, I have no clue where we are but…" he said as he flips through his book "Here you go, easier to show than explain"

Her eyes widen in surprise at the "chicken scratches". It is detailed and clear. She could clearly see the stars and the clouds in the shaded areas which she guessed is the night sky. The sketch of the ocean is plain but somehow, he filled it with life, waves, boats, even what look like whales littered around the sketch.

"How did you do this?" she asked

"Err… I don't know" he said "Ever since I went through my training program, the volunteers have become very talented in almost everything"

She glanced at him when he said "training program", what kind of program was that?

"Anyways, ignore that one" he said as he walked over and began flipping the pages in her hands "let me show… Where is it…". Normally Lena is very selective on who can go close to her but with Quillion it felt… Acceptable.

"Here it is, sketched this one when I was in California, it's –"

"The Milky Way" she breathed, stunned by the attention to detail. It is almost picture perfect.

"Bravo, this is one of the few sketches that I really put effort in" he said proudly.

"It's… Beautiful"

He allowed her a moment to enjoy the sketch before a thought came to him.

"Do you know how it got its name?"

She was taken aback at the question and as she thought further, she was a bit surprised that she never asks how it actually earned the name Milky Way. She shook her head.

"Well, according to the Ancient Greeks, the Milky Way was formed when a god named Zeus brought his half mortal son home to be breastfed by the queen of the gods when she was sleeping. When she awoke and found this child suckling her, she pushed him away and a few drops of the milk created the Milky Way"

She stared at him "You're joking right?"

"Oh no, not at all, that's how it got its name" he said before taking a drink.

"That's… She's got quite a serious set of tits then" she said, which was immediately followed by the sound of a huge spit. She looked up and saw Quillion had spat out his drink.

"Y-You have don-done that on purpose!" he accused her as he point at her with a dramatic flair while coughing.

"No!" she exclaimed "It's just… it…" she could not finish the sentence before she began laughing herself, the sight of him doing a spit take is hilarious.

"I mean… … Imagine the size of her to make all that, obvious innit?" That was when they lost it, Tracer snorted a few times (which she tried to hide) while Quillion is gasping for air, this continued until the announcement came.

"Rise and shine everyone! We will be landing in 20 minutes!"

Lena and Quillion looked at each other in surprise. Have 2 hours passed that quickly?

"Well, cheers for that luv, haven't had a good bennin in a long time, see you in a tick" she gave a 2-finger salute before disappearing. Quillion slide his book back into his backpack and replied into the air "See ya soon Tracer". He looked at himself in the mirror and saw that his face is still red from laughing, he could not remember the last time he had such a wholehearted laugh, especially with a beautiful wom-

"No…" he said to his own reflection, his smile fading "Don't you start feeling attached to someone you barely know"

He changed into his combat gear and checked that all his weapons are loaded. Though he felt safe, she gave him no reason to trust her nor the destination is for his best interest.

A haunting memory surfaced.

*Malaysia: MGF Base (32 years ago)*

He was running down the hallway, his squad following close behind. Sergeant Jampang was dragging his best friend Ahmad while the other two Privates, Hazir and Oliver, covered their retreat.

Destruction reigned around them as the first generation machines of the Null Sector fired wildly into the crowd, eliminating many high ranking officers within seconds. They were ordered to run towards the Armoury where the base would make its last stand.

However, the unorganized perimeter was obliterated and the Armoury was quickly destroyed. As the defensive lines evaporated, the squad was surrounded from both sides of the corridor. They were able to repel the first wave of attackers but it caused the death of Oliver, who was unexpectedly shot by a bullet that ricochet off the wall, killing him instantly.

Quickly assessing the situation they realize that the only ones not suffering from vertigo were Jampang and Quillion. Unable to move nor retreat effectively without abandoning the rest, they agreed to make their last stand in the laboratory, which was around the corner. Unbeknownst to them the Null Sector has already anticipated they would make that decision.

Quillion shuddered as he remembered trying to get the door open but the hacked biometric security rejected his prints, those precious moments caused the death of Ahmad.

Quillion remembered how Ahmad smiled and shouted his famous line "Malaysia Selamanya!" as he stood up and repelled the ambush almost singlehandedly, activating his adrenaline to a fatal level as he rampaged through the Omnics with his heavily modified parang and pistol, destroying many before he finally succumbed from his injuries. His self sacrificed provided enough time for Quillion to hack the door.

When the doors open with a hiss, they ran in, but just before they could shut it, an Assassin Class Omnic stabbed through the gap straight into Hazir's heart as it tries to force its way in. With a shout of rage, Jampang blew its head apart with his shotgun before they were finally able to close the door.

With no time to mourn, the two survivors threw everything they could against the door as the Omnics began prying it open. Priming his rifle for battle Quillion prayed his final prayer as he prepares to die.

However Jampang has other plans. He knew that he could not convince Quillion from fighting whenever the opportunity arises, which is why he has always put the reckless Corporal under other duties such as being the "Historian" of the group.

It was not because he liked Quillion more than the others, far from it, rather it was because each of them are precious resources that the country could ill afford to lose, and Quillion always puts himself in unnecessary danger.

But with the loss of the squad and even the entire army, Jampang will make his last, final gamble to invest in his Corporal in hopes that he will reach his full potential when the time comes.

Quillion remembered how he looked at him and as he gave his final order.

"Corporal, promise me one thing"

"What's that Sarge?" he remembered himself saying as he prepares to activate his adrenaline rush.

"Find whoever is behind this and rip it's head off"

Those were the final words from Jampang as the next thing he remembers was the butt of his Sergeant's shotgun smashing into his face.

When he awoke, he found himself in a highly experimental cryotube, its process nearly complete. He remembered how he saw his Sergeant's body on the floor, his lifeless face was etched with exhaustion, his body twisted in an unnatural posture.

He remembered a faceless Omnic standing in front of the cryotube, scanning for any heat signatures that resembles a human. He remembered how he wanted to die with his squad that day, he remembered trying to shout and punch the glass as a final attempt to fight, but they were frozen.

"They will pay" he vowed as he froze.

"They must pay" he said to himself in the mirror.

* * *

Translation:

1\. Malaysia Selamanya - Malaysia Forever


	9. Chp 9 - First Day in Overwatch

*Gibraltar: Watchpoint Hangar*

The Watchpoint Hangar has always been a flurry of activity as different shuttles come and go in a rapid but organized pattern. Shipments of equipment, building materials, resources, and troop transports flies in and out throughout each day and night. Combined with the secrecy of Overwatch Operations, it is a miracle that the logisticians and pilots were able to find routes in the modern world to keep the supply lines and flights hidden.

Winston scanned the skies for one particular shuttle, pacing on a platform near the landing pads as his engineering team waits nearby. Another shuttle entered the hangar and, to Winston's displeasure, it is another delivery of rivets and metal for Torbjorn.

"You should calm down Winston, you are becoming restless" a voice called out.

Without turning around, Winston replied "She should be back by now, it has been more than 2 hours"

"From what they told me they are only 5 minutes late, no point worrying" Angela answered gently, landing next to Winston gracefully, which caught the attention of many workers on site.

"Only because her Chronal Accelerator is damaged" he grunted back, sitting down next to the doctor.

"She did not sound too concern about it when she called me, so the damage is should not be serious"

Though her words made sense, the protective ape still grunted in annoyance.

"What are you doing here anyway? You rarely come to the hangar" he asked her.

"I was told that Genji required immediate assistance when he returns" she replied annoyingly "Which is odd since he was only scouting some abnormalities in Ireland. I swear he seems to need some kind of healing every minute of the day..."

Winston looked back and saw that her medical team is now chatting with his engineering team, each of them carefree and smiling. He felt a slight hint of envy that they are able to only worry about their job instead of the overall condition of the world but he shook it off.

"What kind of abnormalities?" he inquired. Her features grew dark before replying

"There were reports of... Severe mutilation on random civilians but these are unconfirmed reports, Jack sent Genji to investigate 2 days ago"

Before Winston could reply, he spotted it.

Lena's shuttle.

He and Angela stood up to welcome their old friend as the shuttle doors open and Lena stepped out, her hair blowing into the wind, her hands on her hips, smiling as she looked around the hangar, waving back at a few crew members, clearly happy to be home. The moment she spotted Winston and Angela, her smile stretched wider as she blink towards them, hugging them both at the same time.

"Winston... Angela... It's been too long..." they heard her say.

"It has only been a week" Angela replied with her motherly tone.

"A week too long" Lena replied.

Winston smiled, "Lena is back to her old self" he thought.

"Come, we must attend to the Chronal Accelerator immediately" he said, breaking the hug and pulling her towards the Engineering Team.

"W-whoa there big guy" she said, pulling her hand free from Winston "I have to introduce Quillion to both of you first"

"Who?" they questioned in unison.

"Him" she said, pointing back to her shuttle.

Looking behind her, they see an unfamiliar face slowly walking down the ramp of Lena's shuttle, his movements careful and cautious, his eyes studying his environment, one hand over his rifle that he wore on with a sling as if expecting an attack.

Seeing this, Lena immediately blinked to him, putting one hand over his rifle as a precaution.

"Hey... You okay?" she inquired.

"Yeah... Yeah... Just... Taking in the surroundings" he stammered, quickly holstering his revolver in his jacket. Though his movements are quick, she noticed.

"Common now luv, no need for any of that" she smiled "I'll show you around yeah?"

Pulling an arm, she led him down the ramp and he found himself face to face with... A huge gorilla and an angel?

What?

"This is Angela" she indicated to the blonde angel, "And Winston" indicating the gorilla, "Angela, Winston, this is Quillion"

He could only manage an "Err..."

First he woke up to find his country destroyed, fought alongside a magical girl against a well-equipped drug den where he passed out, landed on a mountain in the middle of the ocean, where he was told, is a "secret base", and now he is standing face to face with a woman who dresses like an angel and a gorilla wearing clothes and even a pair of spectacles.

"He has been through a lot, but he's alright" Lena added when he did not answer.

Before he could muster the words to answer, Winston spoke, shocking Quillion further.

"Lena, we must check your Accelerator"

"But..." she protested, looking at Quillion, whose mouth is hanging wide open at the fact the gorilla spoke, absolutely gobsmacked.

"Don't worry, Angela will accompany him" he said impatiently, pulling her once again to the engineers. Lena look to Angela for help, who responded with a smile.

"Go with Winston, I will help Qu-ri-rion with any questions he may have"

And with that, Winston dragged her away.

"So... Qu-ri-rion, what would you like to ask first?" Angela said gently to Quillion, who quickly close his mouth.

"I... Err... It's Quillion... Who are you guys?" he asked numbly.

"Ahh, I think it is best if we sit down" she replied, seeing that he is still in shock.

Once seated on the hangar floor, she began her story, some members from her Medical Team joined in to listen as well, as it is rare and hard to find, let alone hear, any firsthand accounts regarding the glory days of Overwatch.

She gave summaries for the First Omnic Crisis, how the United Nations formed Overwatch, the Swiss Headquarter incident, its disbandment, its current re-organization by Winston, the Second Omnic Crisis, and their fight against Talon.

The entire time, the group stayed silent until she finished speaking.

"So... You are saying you are the good guys?" Quillion asked.

"Many years ago... Yes... But now... We do what we must to make the world a better place" she hesitantly replied.

"Sounds a bit delusional, especially since she just confessed they are criminals" Quillion thought to himself.

"I do not expect you to trust me or any of us" she added, as if reading his mind "Everyone here is a volunteer to the cause but are allowed to leave if required"

"And if I decide to walk away right now? Won't you be afraid that I will reveal this location to the rest of the world?"

"We are in a hidden and dangerous area, if you walk out now, it is a guarantee that you will not be able to get to the mainland without drowning" she smiled "Should you choose to leave, we will blindfold you and drop you off near a city of your choosing and you will never hear from us again. That being said, only those who give their lives to the fight will know this location by name"

"CLEAR THE HANGAR!" came a shout, the crowd scattering to every direction.

"Wha-" Angela said, jumping to her feet.

In the distance, they could see a shuttle, billows of black smoke trailing behind it, gliding towards the hangar at high speed.

It is going to crash.

"Run!" she shouted. Everyone ran as Angela activated her Valkyrie Suit and flew into the airstrip, pulling a worker who had tripped and dragging him to safety.

It was not long before the shuttle smashed itself into the hangar, destroying everything in its path. With a loud groan, it stopped after screeching to the other end of the strip. The moment it stopped, the reaction was almost immediate, Quillion saw the workers running back towards it with firefighting equipment and began putting out the fires.

Quillion ran forward to observe the shuttle and saw that it sustained damages he never expected. The shuttle looked like as if something with giant hands attempted to crush it into a ball. It is also covered with strange scratches, as if a wild animal attempted to dig into the airship.

"An Omnic?" he thought "But the damage is too random and... Wild... To be done by a machine"

With a loud hiss, the ramp forced itself open... And an Omnic limped out.

Quillion jump backwards, pointing his rifle at it's head and was just about to shoot when Angela flew between them.

"Stop! Put your rifle away!" she shouted.

"Why? It is an Omnic attack!" he shouted back.

"Angela..." a robotic voice sounded behind her "I need healing..." before it fell to its knees.

"Genji!" she cried, turning around and caught him before his head hit the ground, her medical team was with her in a flash, quickly lifting it on a stretcher and, with Angela, ran into the base while others ran into the shuttle, obviously looking for survivors.

Quillion stood there confused, not knowing what to do. Soon a group of strange looking individuals poured into the area.

First was a towering armored giant armed with a huge hammer while wielding a wide blue shield, followed closely by what looks like an old man with red visors, a dwarf, Winston and finally Lena.

"Put down your weapon!" the armored giant shouted at Quillion as he lumbered towards him. Quillion, without thinking, instinctively walked backwards and fired a warning shot at the giant's feet. To his surprise, his bullet was absorbed by the shield, disappearing harmlessly in a puff of smoke.

"Engage!" the giant shouted, charging forward with surprising speed. Quillion could not dodge in time and was knocked aside, slamming into the wall and felt his revolver flying out of its holster.

With the wind knocked out of him, he could not raise his rifle in time to defend himself before it was blown aside by a blue beam. The next thing he knew he was staring into the barrel of a gun held by the man with red visors.

"Tell me" he shouted "Where is Talon?". Without waiting for an answer, he kicked Quillion in the ribs. Hard. "Where?" he demanded, landing another kick as Quillion tried to stand up, the sound of bones breaking made the onlookers wince.

"Stop!" Lena shouted "He was the one who turned on the Emergency Beacon!"

"A Talon spy then!" the man shouted, stomping his boot on Quillion's hand, who tried to grab his legs in an effort to fight back, causing him to cry out in pain as he felt his fingers shatter.

"He is not!" she screamed, "He saved my life!"

"Don't be naive Lena!" he shouted back "That's the oldest trick in the book!"

"Jack!" roared Winston, which stopped Jack from throwing another kick. He looked around him and saw that everyone was staring at them, shock written all over their faces as their leader is brutally beating an unarmed man and shouting back (even berating) at one of his most capable soldiers.

He took a moment to collect himself before giving out his orders.

"Reinhardt! Arrest this man. Torbjorn! Confiscate his weapons. Everyone else, get this airfield back to operation!" he shouted. The effect was immediate, the workers resumed their firefighting and Reinhardt pulled Quillion to his feet roughly and shoved him to walk forwards.

"But he is not– " Lena protested as she walked forward, an action that Winston stopped by grabbing her shoulder.

"Winston!" she pleaded.

"Not now Lena, we will figure this out soon" he replied, trying to comfort her.

She tried to catch Quillion's eye but he was in too much pain to notice, clutching his broken ribs and hand while being forced to walk by Reinhardt to his cell.


	10. Chp 10 - New Foes

*Venice: Talon Base*

"Good..." Ogundimu said as he watched the holovids with a very relieved Moira next to him "Very good... Show it to me again"

They were watching 3 holovids of different angles of the same event, one stolen from the area's security departments with the help of Sombra, while the other 2 are first-person views, one was listed as Sigma and the other as SS.

Moira complied by restarting the vids.

There were about 20 heavily armed guards patrolling and on high alert as the bank has been informed by Talon agents that there will be an attempt of a robbery tonight, evident by including the blueprints of the bank by the messenger. The bank hired a considerable amount of Omnic guards to supplement the security. With this sort of security, it will be foolish for anyone to try to rob this bank.

The video recorded by the bank showed that they continued the normal patrols, each seem to be eagerly waiting for some action. Then it happened.

The front door was smashed open, alerting everyone in the building to run to their defensive positions. The Omnics formed a defensive line, each activating its barriers, priming their weapons for battle.

Suddenly a car was thrown into the line of Omnics, smashing into the barriers, but it held firm. In response, they unleashed their deadly volleys in perfect sync, obliterating the entrance with plasma bolts.

Ogundimu and Moira watched in great interest as they watch SS's recording, as it stood directly in the path of the plasma bolts and after a moment of staggering, it flew directly into the Omnic line.

Within a few savage minutes, the Omnics lay broken as they could not withstand the violent counter attack, each swing of what seemed to be claws tore their arms and bodies apart with incredible ease.

It was not long before the human targets came into view as they poured their own firepower into the attacker. SS's camera is soon splattered with blood and flesh as the camera flew rapidly between its new targets.

_**Ryūjin no ken wo kūrae!**_

The security camera showed a green blade and dragon sliced through the air straight into the attacker, which was blocked in the very last second before being flung into the wall.

Genji Shimada has arrived.

Even from the holo vids, he was noticeably confused when he saw that the attacker is a girl who could not be more than 10 years old. However, the sight of her arms covered in blood and unharmed from his attack has alerted the ninja that he is dealing with a very dangerous individual.

He crouched low to a fighting stance, his Dragon Blade poised to strike. As if on invitation, the girl pounced on him, both arms stretched forward, hungry to carve his face. He expertly parried both claws and cut his katana into the air, delivering what should had been a fatal blow through her body.

She tumbled to the ground but jumped back to her feet unharmed, her arms turning black and her features began shifting rapidly.

Genji threw 3 shurikens into her face, causing her to recoil in pain. Seeing an opening, he leap forward with the katana tip in front, clearly attempting to deliver the final blow.

During this skirmish, Sigma has been a bystander on the side of the room until he saw this. A metal arm was raised into the camera and flexed his fingers.

Genji flew into the air unexpectedly before he could stab SS28, he was smashed into the ceiling but managed to deflect 2 metal balls that was thrown at him.

Genji immediately threw another set of shurikens towards the direction where the balls appeared from but it bounced off its attacker.

This seemed to have angered Sigma as he clenched his fist, slamming the cyborg back to the ground, knocking his katana way from his hand.

Before Genji could collect himself, the girl has finished her transformation, now looking more hideous and strangely more like her opponent, pouncing on him and began to dig her claws deep into his armor, causing him to cry out in pain.

It would have been the end for him if it weren't for a few brave guards who came in firing wildly at everyone they see. The girl turned her attention away from Genji and leap towards the guards and even Sigma joined the fray.

Genji tried to assist the guards, leaping towards them. He tackled the girl away mid flight with his shoulder and threw another set of shurikens, knocking away Sigma's projectiles. Annoyed, Sigma threw the cyborg aside with his powers, slamming him against the wall where he slumped down, seemingly unconscious. The guards barely lasted a minute.

After the bloodbath they looked back for the ninja, but Genji has escaped and his katana is gone.

They saw a shuttle flying off from the roof and Sigma immediately raised both of his arms, attempting to drag the shuttle towards the ground, its external hulls slowly crushed under his gravitational grip.

However, before he could succeed, a green blade cut through the screen again and Sigma to doubled down in pain as the katana sliced through his armor. SS28 made an attempt to catch him but he managed to deflect her attack before climbing to the roof and jumping into the damaged ship as it flew off.

SS28 made a leap after the shuttle with a boost from Sigma, launching her impossibly high. She manage to catch the shuttle and tried to claw her way inside but before she could succeed, the shuttle suddenly banked left, throwing her off and falling back into the bank.

Clearly frustrated, SS28 began feasting on the dead bodies of the guards around them, her claws becoming more pronounced with each bite. It was soon after this when Moira enter the scene and ordered them to leave as the experiment has been completed.

"She shows promise" Ogundimu express satisfyingly "She can be the next step in our evolution"

"Yes sir" Moira replied, glad that her work has been accepted as a success.

"It is a great pity that she did not kill that ninja however" he added, Moira's smile disappearing quickly "I would have thought that the combined strength of this SS28 and Sigma would be enough to destroy anyone in their way"

Moira tried to come up with a reply, everything he said was true, but it is only because they were interrupted that they failed to kill Genji. However, she knew that Doomfist does not care for excuses, only the results.

"Does not matter" he said "I trust that she will get stronger?"

"She will, her genes have been altered to evolve rapidly with her age, as she grows older, she will only become a more powerful tool for Talon"

His eyes narrowed "So only with age will she become stronger?"

Moira nodded in compliance "We have allowed her to feast on the bodies as well, however the genetic mutations is noticeably slower than age"

"When will she be at her fullest potential?"

"Age 30 will be the optimum age" Moira answered.

"Accelerate her growth rate, she has 9 months to reach her fullest potential"

Moira looked at him in shock "That is too risky! There is a high chance that we could prematurely end her life"

"I am sure you can figure something out. Make it happen, dismissed"

Moira stood, her fury barely in check. She has finally made one of the largest breakthroughs in human history and now she is about to risk it all within a span of 10 months. But she knows her place and the price of retaliation. She simply nodded and walked out of the office.

Now alone in his office, Ogundimu smiled widely. His plans are closer to fruition than he thought.

"Soon" he said to himself "Humanity will be stronger than ever".

Pressing on a buzzer on his desk, he stood up and fixed himself a drink as a woman enters the room.

"Ahh… Sombra… What are your findings?"

"It is confirmed that the ones messing with the Omnic Revolution in Russia are the reformed Overwatch" Sombra said lazily while leaning against the wall "They have gotten themselves some new toys over the years"

"And how did you come across this information?" Ogundimu quizzed.

"I got friends in Russia – powerful friends"

He chuckled at that, this hacker is truly a dangerous individual.

"Have you found where they are currently hiding?"

"Nope, sorry amig- sir" she replied, trying to maintain a formal speech pattern "However, I think I figured out a way to bring them out into the open"

"Oh?"

"They have this agent from England who goes back to London every 2 years" Sombra open her palm and 3 holo pictures emitted from it "I believe you fought her once before her monkey friend interrupted?"

Each picture showed a young woman walking around the streets of London, each showed a different Christmas themed background and carrying a different gift under her arm, each picture showing a two year gap label.

"Yes…" Doomfist growled "I am surprised she is still alive, how did you get this information?"

"I have many friends" Sombra said with a hint of pride.

She sense his suspicions rising before he motions for her to continue.

"I could not get a name but I think the most important thing to know now is that if her pattern continues, we will be able to ambush her in five months" Sombra said "Unless you want to station troops around the world as she randomly comes and goes, like last week she was in Asia to destroy a random drug den"

He looked at the Mexican in the eye when she said that, formulating his next step.

"So, you speculate that in five months she will be in London?"

"Yes" Sombra answered, flicking her fingers, another person appeared in the pictures "To visit this redhead. You get her, this agent will come after you, and if this one comes after you…"

"Then the rest will follow like rabid dogs" Doomfist finished, clearly very happy about this discovery.

"Well, if that is it, I will just go now and…" Sombra makes for the door.

"Your next assignment is this" stopping Sombra "Find these drug lords and tell them they will have an opportunity to visit London to say hi to this agent"

Sombra turned around with a raised eyebrow "You want me to find the drug lord to help us invade London? What, you expect them to just... Waltz through customs?"

"No, I expect them to accept our invitation" was the reply.

"And if they don't?" she inquired.

"Then do what you do best, you can either blackmail or lie" Ogundimu said as he takes another drink.

As Sombra closes the door behind her, she smiled.

"All according to plan" she thought to herself.


	11. Chp 11 - Innocent or Spy?

*Gibraltar: Watchpoint*

Lena waited in the Engineering Room, endlessly fidgeting in her seat as her leg bobs up and down rapidly as she waits for Winston and his team to finish the repairs so she could return to the meeting room.

Currently the meeting consists of Jack, Reinhardt, Torbjorn, and an aged historian whose name Lena forgotten. Despite her insistence, they remain divided if Quillion is a Talon spy or not while reviewing Lena's report regarding his frozen hibernation. She was in the meeting until her Chronal Accelerator began blinking randomly, forcing her to follow Winston so she will be in range to remain anchored to the present while it was brought for repairs.

"I don't get it Winston, don't they trust me?" she asked.

"They do trust you, however the day he arrived is the day our shuttle crashed into the hangar for the first time since my Recall, it will be hard to blame them for being cautious" he replied without looking up from his eyeglass as an engineer passed a tool for him.

Lena groaned and rest her head on her arms on the table. Though his words ring true, she is still upset that they treated Quillion like a criminal immediately. She wish Mercy is here to give her opinion but she is currently in the Operation Room, operating on Genji.

"What do you think happened? I mean... The only time I have seen Genji so hurt was our fight with Doomfist" she said worryingly.

"I don't know" he said "But if this is a new enemy, we need to be prepared"

Both stayed silent as those words hang in the air. Genji has always been one of Overwatch's best fighters. To see him bested and so damaged is a rare and concerning occurrence.

"And his shuttle... It looked like as if it was being crushed by something, what could've done that..." Lena continued slowly.

Winston said nothing for a moment. He has been bothered by the sight of the shuttle as well.

"We just need to wait for Genji to wake up to tell us" he replied confidently.

"Yeah... Just need to wait..." Lena said, more to herself than Winston.

Soon silence fell between them, the only sounds are Winston's tools poking at the Accelerator, sparks flying randomly as he worked.

"And… Done, good as new" Winston declared, holding up her Chronal Accelerator.

Lena gave a whoop and ran towards him, grabbing her harness and strap it onto herself as fast as she could.

"Whoa there Lena, you have to remember that…"

"To always be careful and use it responsibly, okay got it! Cheers Winston!" Lena said quickly before blinking away.

"Well, she is more active than usual" Athena voiced out.

"She has a good heart, she has always been eager to help her friends" Winston sighed.

"I thought we are all her friends"

Winston chuckled "We are her family Anthena, it is different"

"How is it different?"

"There some things that a family member will not share with one another. However to a friend? It is much easier" he said as he reached for a peanut butter jar.

"And our new… Guest… Is her friend?" Athena asked.

"I hope so… She does not have many friends… Let's just hope that Jack and the others will be lenient"

*Gibraltar: Watchpoint Meeting Room*

Tracer blinked outside of the meeting room door, trying to eavesdrop on what was being said by pressing her ear against the door.

Unfortunately, the doors are thick and the only voice she could hear is Reinhardt, which was no surprise considering he has always enjoyed being the loudest. From what she could make out, he was agreeing to something enthusiastically while laughing loudly.

"That's good, laughter is good" she muttered under her breath as she pressed her ears harder against the door but to no avail as the voices continued to be blunted mutters. It was not long before the impatient Brit had enough.

"Sod it" she said, opening the doors and walking in, gaining the attention of everyone in the room. Jack is holding some papers while the historian is standing over him, as if in the middle of explaining something, as Reinhardt and Torbjorn are reviewing the recording when they arrested Quillion in a holo vid earlier. She had to make an attempt not to wince when the recording replay Quillion being thrown into the wall by Reinhardt's charge.

"Lena" Jack said "We were just about to call you in, please take a seat"

"So what's the verdict?" Lena said as she took a seat next to Reinhardt while Jack motion the historian to explain.

"It took a while but I think we found something that fits your report" the historian said while flicking his fingers on his tablet and mirroring it onto the screen.

"Athena, if you please"

"Of course" the AI responded "30-33 years ago the Omnic Crisis began, attacking countries randomly. Due to its urgency, the United States issued the classified Soldier Enhancement Program to create the perfect soldier"

Lena nodded impatiently, the inner circle of Overwatch all know this "So what does this have to do with-"

"But results from conventional testing is too slow" Athena continued, ignoring Lena "In desperation they called for volunteers from different countries to risk their lives to speed up the research"

Everyone quickly glance at Jack for confirmation which he gave with a small nod.

"The prospect of potentially becoming the perfect soldier was well received and thousands of soldiers volunteered, however the results from this stage is undocumented"

"I was told there was an 84% fatality rate, out of the thousands, only hundreds survived" Jack said without emotion.

"During this period there is a curious little article that mention a rise of superior class soldiers" the historian added.

"What happened to these men?" Reinhardt asked "I fought in many battlefields and I have never seen them"

"Most countries sent them to the front immediately, unbeknownst to them that the survivors will suffer major side effects which normally lead to fatal results" Morrison said.

"Combining all this information, we may have found information regarding the prisoner, we estimate that there were 40 volunteers from Malaysia and only 5 survived" Athena finished.

"All the names of the 5 and dates are redacted, so we know little to nothing about them. However, we did find a record of a project regarding a highly experimental Cryo Freezing Project that had been conducted in Malaysia as well, therefore..." the historian said.

"Therefore, it is probable that your friend could be a survivor like Mei" Morrison said "As Torbjorn just confirmed that his weapon models are close to that period"

Lena almost jumped with joy.

"So he is going to be released?" she asked hopefully.

Jack looked at her for a few seconds before "We need to confirm two more things before we can consider letting him out"

"What might those be?" she asked her smile fading slightly.

"First, we will interview him to see if his story matches your report and our records. Second, if his story is consistent, we need to know if he will join us or leave, either choice will be dealt with as per our procedures"

"So... When will the interview start?" Lena asked, her eyes narrowing.

"I am currently speaking to him now" Athena said "But he has been uncooperative. He said he will not answer any questions we ask until, and I quote, we "apologize with a bed of roses""

"Maybe I knocked him a bit too hard eh? Hahahahahaha" laughed Reinhardt.

"Knocked him? You barely touched him!" Torbjorn countered.

"Did you not see him flying to the wall? I definitely got him!" Reinhardt shot back.

Their banter went on for a few minutes before Jack stopped it.

"Keep trying Athena, he will talk sooner or later"

"I can get him to talk!" Lena interjected, her hand in the air as if in a classroom.

"Lena, I know that you feel somewhat responsible for him because you rescued him and he did the same in turn, but we could not risk the security of our operation because of that" Jack said.

"You are already having enough trouble talking to him, maybe he just needs a friendly face yeah? Maybe he'd answer the questions if I'm there" she countered.

Jack thought about this for a moment.

It is true that he might trust her more than them and would get him to talk, but is she doing this for personal gain or for Overwatch?

"Is this even something to ponder on Jack?" Torbjorn voiced out "Lena has been one of our most capable agents, surely she can get him to talk"

"I shall go with her!" Reinhardt said loudly "If anything goes wrong, she can get behind me!"

"Err... No... I think I'll be fine alone luv, besides, Athena will be there to watch over me"

"Very well, go ask him about his background and if he chooses to stay or leave" Morrison conceded.

"Yessir!" Lena said, giving a 2-finger salute before disappearing in a blue light.


	12. Chp 12 - Breakout

*Gibraltar: Watchpoint Holding Cells*

Lena took a deep breath outside the cell door, thinking about what to say before she asked Athena to unlock the door.

"Heya! Tracer here!" she said as she walked in to... An empty room.

"Err… Athena? Where is he?" she asked out loud before an arm wrapped around her neck as another hand grab hers, pinning her against the door, choking her.

"Lena! Watch out!" Athena shouted.

Instinctively, Lena jabbed an elbow to the ribs, which was unusually effective as the attacker's grip weakened immediately. She took advantage of this momentary weakness by grabbing his hand, which was strangely thick, resulting to another cry of pain.

Twisting the arm around she kicked a leg and effortlessly knock her assailant to the ground.

She looked down saw that it is Quillion.

"Do you require assistance?" Athena asked quickly.

"No I think I got it, think you could warn me before an attack next time?" Lena asked sarcastically.

"Forgive me, his actions were too random to – "

"It's fine" Lena cut her off, letting go of Quillion's broken hand "You okay luv?"

He did not answer but continue to groan in pain, she noticed that he tied a pillow to his broken ribs and the bandages used for his hand is made from torn sheets, which explains why it felt unusually thick.

"Not a bad attempt, not many can get the jump on me, you should be proud" she said in a cheerful tone in hopes of getting him to talk.

Seeing that Lena left the door open, Quillion darted out of the room, which Lena watched with amusement.

"Shall I sound the alarm?" Athena asked.

"Nah, I think it'll be fine" was the reply before disappearing in a blue light.

Quillion has no clue where he is going, his only objective now is to retrieve his weapons and escape. His ribs are screaming in pain and his hand is throbbing violently so he needs to be quick.

"Not good" he thought to himself, if anyone tackles him now, he doubts that he will be able to fight them off.

"Hey, you don't have to run ya know" he heard her say behind him, whom he promptly ignore.

"Look I got good news for ya" she said, walking alongside him casually, her hands behind her head "We've decided to let you go if you answer a few questions, easy yeah?"

Continuing to ignore her, he peeked around the corner and watch when a door swung open and a throng of people walking out of an unknown room.

"Where do you plan to go Quil?" Lena asked a little too loudly.

He whipped around and put his unbroken hand over her mouth in an attempt to keep her quiet, but before he could get a good hold on her, she disappeared and appear behind him.

Out of reflex, he lashed out his elbow for her chin but his ribs made a noticeable cracking sound midspin, causing him to drop to his knees in pain.

"Common now, there's no need for that" she said as she squats down, speaking with him at eye level "You're walking around with me, I don't think anyone would give us any trouble"

It took a moment for Quillion to catch his breath before finally "Okay... You win..."

"Hey! He talks!" she said cheerfully.

"Think you can get me to a medic first? I need something for the pain" he said through gritted teeth.

"You promise you won't run away again once we treat you? And that you'll answer any question I ask?" she asks with an eyebrow raised.

Quillion remained silent for a moment before finally saying "Fine… I promise…"

"You sure?" Lena ask again, causing Quillion to give her a murderous look.

*Gibraltar: Medical Ward*

"Are you sure that Jack cleared him for medical attention?" Angela asked behind her desk, her features tired from hours of the recent operation.

"Yup! He has been a good prisoner" slapping him in the back, causing him to wince in pain "So he gets to have some meds"

Angela's eyes narrowed and after a few painful moments, she finally sighed and said "I don't even know why I bother, I should never deny any patients, even if our resources are limited"

"You're the best Ange!"

She stood up and walk to a cabinet where she pulled out a glowing bottle filled with blue liquid and opened it. She passed it to Quillion, who took it gingerly, unsure of what to do with it.

"Think of it as medicine" Angela instructed "Normally I would inject them but your injuries only require you to drink it"

His eyes widen at those words. Drink a bottle full of strange glowing blue liquid? She can't be serious.

Lena smiled and dipped a finger into the bottle to taste it in front of him.

"See? It is not poison if that is what you are wondering"

Reluctantly, he sipped the contents slowly, then gulping it down eagerly as he experiences much needed relief from the pain.

Satisfied, Angela took the empty bottle from him, instructing him to remain seated so they could observe if he will experience any possible side effects, she returns to her desk.

"So, since we are waiting, I'm going to ask the 2 questions now, don't forget your promise!" Lena said, to which Quillion sighed and nodded.

Of the many flaws in his character, he prided but hated himself for always keeping his promises.

"Only 2" he said.

"First question, how long exactly have you been frozen?"

"Don't you already know that?"

"I'm asking the questions here" she said playfully.

Quillion sighed again as he tries to recollect everything as he carefully avoid her eyes, he knows that the moment he meets her gaze then she will have the upper hand in the questioning.

He remembered waking up in a strange desolated world and rapidly flipping through the screen of his barely functional tube before it finally ran out of power. The date was…

"What year is it?" he asked

"2076" Lena replied, at the edge of her seat, his answers now will determine if he will be a free man or prisoner.

"Then… 32 years give or take" he said as he rubbed his eyes, haunting memories that he set aside came flooding back, the sudden Omnic assault, his friends dying, his Sergeant staring back at him, lifeless and hollow.

Lena waited a moment before pressing on with the next question.

"Back in the shuttle, you said you were part of a program, what was it?"

"No" he replied loudly, causing Mercy look up from her reports momentarily "That is classified"

"But the Malaysian army has been gone for years now, I'm sure you don't have to protect anything anymore" she objected.

"Let's just say there are others involved in the project" he replied, sounding annoyed now that he is even entertaining the question.

Seeing Quillion is becoming more tense, she decided to switch tactics.

"Ya got a girlfriend?" she asked.

What? He looked at her in confusion, even Angela looked up from her reports again.

"N-no, never had time for a relationship" he replied confusingly.

"Oh? Why not?" she asked with an innocent tone.

"War" he replied simply "The MGF fought in various countries so I was always on the move"

"Sounds lonely" she said softly, he notice she has been somewhat saddened by the news.

It is the first time he saw her sad.

"Nah" he said, trying to sound more enthusiastic to cheer her up "My squad was always there with me"

"Oh? How many were in your squad?"

"5 including me" he replied with a smile "We were the best"

"Do they sketch as well?"

"They could" he said with a laugh "But I was our main recorder, they have always preferred fighting rather than book keeping, bunch of idiots, caused us so much trouble"

Lena stayed silent as he chuckled, a wide smile on her face as he just confirmed everything Jack needs to release him.

"How about you? Got a boyfriend?" Quillion suddenly asked, looking at her as she recoiled slightly to the question.

"Oh, I had a few before but didn't work out, they were a bunch of twats" she replied.

Angela suddenly spoke up, making both of them jump.

"Looks like there are no side effects from the medicine and your bones should be healed, you may continue your discussions elsewhere" she said as she stood up and opened the door, indicating them to leave.

"Thanks Ange!" Lena said as she jumps to her feet and walked out of the room.

"My bones are healed?" Quillion as with surprise.

He gingerly tested his fingers and stretch, amazed to find that he is indeed cured.

"This is great, guess I can still play the guitar"

"Just an advice, I think you should focus on someone else besides Lena" Angela said quietly to him.

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"You are attracted to her, aren't you?" she asked, closing the door slightly.

"Why would you assume that?" he said a little too quickly.

Angela looked at him inquisitively before saying "Well, you answered more than 2 question after looking at her"

"That was…" he began but unable to think of a reason. Why did he continue answering the questions?

"Hey!" Lena poked her head back into the room "Hurry up! Jack and the rest are waitin' for ya!"

Angela gave Quillion one more look as he walk out of the Medical Ward.

"So... Who is Jack?" he asked Lena.


	13. Chp 13 - The Deal

Thank you all for reading and I hope everyone is enjoying it so far!

So I have hit a small personal target from writing this fan fiction and I thought to share a chapter in advance to show my appreciation for you.

Thank you all and have a good day!

* * *

*Malaysia: Somewhere in the Jungle*

Walking casually through the jungle, Sombra wore her standard purple outfit and while humming loudly. She made sure that she is as close to the greenery as possible so she would stand out like a sore thumb.

It was not long before she attracted the people she is looking for.

"Oi, you lost girl?" a voice called out from the trees as catcalls and laughter surrounded her. She continued her walk, almost bored, as she waits for her caller to reveal himself.

Leaves rustled around her as multiple figures began following her. As a precaution, Sombra drops her relocator.

"Are you in position?" she whispered quietly.

"Qui" came a reply in her ear.

"Ok, time for Phase 2"

Sombra pretended to look around in panic before running in a full sprint, darting through the trees as if trying to escape her followers.

Almost immediately, she heard everyone chasing after her, shouting to each other as they continuously shadow her movements. A few minutes into the chase she noticed that the sounds around her faded away.

"Err... Did I lose them?" she asked.

"Non, they are cutting you off, keep running"

Sombra slowed to a jog as she continued towards the river.

As she came to a clearing, 4 armed men are waiting for her.

"Stop!" one of them shouted.

Sombra skidded to a halt and began to retreat back slowly and saw that she has been surrounded from all sides.

"Huh... Slowpokes" she thought to herself.

Like a pack of hyenas, they surrounded her with glee as they inspect their new captive as she raises both her hands into the air.

"Ular Kristal?" she asked "I'm interested to buy your product"

The men around her laughed before who seems like the leader spoke up.

"Menangkapnya" he said gruffly.

Allowing them to place a bag over her head, she was dragged off to a nearby river before being thrown into the boat.

"I have established contact, can you still see me?" Sombra asked.

"Personne n'échappe à mon regard" was the reply.

Sombra shuddered at the smooth French accent, despite knowing that they are partners, she hates the idea that someone will be able to see her through walls, even if for a moment.

With a churn of the engine the boat sped off to its destination.

Widowmaker smiled as she looks up from her rifle, partly satisfied that contact has been secured, but mainly because of the sight of Sombra being "captured" pleases her.

"She's on the way to their base"

A voice chattered in her earpiece as she holster Widow's Kiss around her shoulder with a sling.

"Oui" she said simply before she used her grappling hook on a nearby tree and swinging into the jungle.

*A few hours later*

Sombra groaned in pure boredom. She has always preferred to do things in her own pace but these people are almost too primitive for her to hack a location nor could she hack into the ancient technology that she traced in this area, thus forcing her to be captured while Widowmaker was assigned to be her backup.

The boat bumped unexpectedly to another wave, causing her head to knock against the floor for the 50th time.

"Oi! I will have a concussion before we get there!" she shouted.

As if on cue, the boat began slowed to a stop.

"Up" she heard one say as they dragged her to her feet, removing the bag from her head, forcing her to squint as the sunlight hits her eyes.

"Walk" the same voice said as they shoved her forward with the barrel of their gun.

She walked slowly as her eyes began adjusting to her surroundings. They are still in the jungle, a wooden path is before them, crossing a bridge over a small pit, leading to what seem to be a wooden village at the end of the road with guards scattered across the area.

"Cepat!" came another order, pushing her forwards harder, she saw that it is a man with a fish tattoo on his cheek.

"Serás el primero en morir hoy" she muttered under her breath.

She picked up her pace as she carefully observe every security camera and electronics that could potentially assist her as they walk by the many occupants of the village, wearing simple, torn clothing and looked like they have not had a decent meal in months, reminding her of the orphans that were left in the wake of the first Omnic Crisis.

In the middle of the village came a sight that made her blood boil.

Everything from its gates to its house is made from solid gold or high-quality marble. The gates and pavements glitter in the light, peacocks roam freely in the garden around a fountain is gushing a steady stream of purple liquid which, by the smell, is wine.

The house itself is decorated with beautiful sculptures of hornbills, fishes, and what seem to be some shield with pointed tips on both sides.

As they approach, the gates swung open, granting them access to the owner of this establishment.

Before them is a long white table filled with various kinds of food and a huge obese man decorated with all manner of jewelry and tattoos sitting at the end of it.

"Dia cakap English?" he asked loudly, as if he must be heard by everyone.

"Ya boss" came the immediate reply.

He laughed loudly as he motions his hand to the chair next to him with a perverted grin on his face.

Sombra felt sick as she was led to the chair.

"An electric chair is better than this" she thought to herself.

"Sit!" he gestured loudly "Sit! Don't you understand? C-I-T?"

Sombra stared back. Cit? Really? The worst part is that just before she sat down, she heard Widowmaker sniggering in her ear.

"Lai lai! Try this! Peacock tongue, shark fin soup with bird nest, rhino horn water!" he shouted as he shoved a tongue into his mouth, bits falling out as he chewed loudly and openly.

"Empurau fish!" he continued "Tapir steak! Tiger sushi! Baby crabs"

"I am here to buy your services" Sombra said.

"Elephant sausage! Free flow wine! All real! All organic! Very health!"

"I am here to buy your services!" Sombra now shouting, ignoring Widowmaker who is now laughing.

"Aiya! Can wait one! We can always try to have some fun before work!" he said as he slid his fat hand over to her knee.

That's when Sombra had enough, grabbing a knife and she stabbed it on the table. This caught the attention of the host and every gun in the compound that are now trained on her.

With a wave of his hand, everyone set their guns down as he leaned back, pressing his fingers together.

"I see that you are not like the others, most agents would've gone along with whatever I want to gain my trust" he said, his voice serious and normal.

"I am no agent amigo and I sure don't want to play any games now" seethed Sombra, her hand still on the knife.

The man chuckled "Call me Agong"

Sombra yanked the knife from the table and sat back down slowly.

"So, I suppose you heard what I said just now?"

"Yes, which is strange… My men told me you want to buy my product, now you want to buy my services, those are 2 very different things Mexican"

He took a long drink from his cup before continuing.

"I do not think I would for either of those, I have a feeling that doing business with you by any means will not be profitable"

"Why would you say that?" Sombra asked quizzically.

"Just a feeling. And I'm usually right" he replied, setting his cup down and waving to his guards, who began approaching the table.

"Ahh… You are right about one thing"

"What might that be Mexican?"

"Doing business with me by any means is not profitable" she said, opening her palm and showing a map of the area.

"Recognize these places pendejo?" she said as red dots lighted up at different parts of the map.

Agong quickly raised his hand again, stopping the guards, as he realizes what the dots are referring to.

"My compliments, I made sure that information is behind some of the state-of-the-art safeguards" he said dangerously.

"Oh was it? I've heard that before" Sombra replied sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

Crossing his fingers together, Agong leaned backwards, the chair straining at his weight.

"So, you know where all my money is buried and you know where all my labs and dens are"

"Obviously. So you are going to do what I say or there will be war" Sombra threatened.

"Many have gone to war with me in ways you could never imagine Mexican" he said "Are you sure you want to go down that path?"

"I know what you did amigo and I have it all" with a flick of her finger, multiple images of the vilest but private atrocities was revealed for all to see, causing a random guard to gag at the very sight of it.

Agong's expression did not change but she saw the murderous glint in his eyes and he reviewed his most private affairs. A wicked smile crossed his lips as he suddenly pointed to an image of a little girl.

"That one is my favorite, I earned millions for sending back each part of her"

Sombra grew frustrated, blackmail is not getting her anywhere.

"You plan is not working cherie" she heard Widowmaker say.

"Anything else you want to try before you die today Mexican?" he said, reaching out for another tongue.

"Enough waiting around" she said, aiming Widow's Kiss at Agong's head

"Give me the word and I'll end this"

"Not yet... Shoot the fork" Sombra growled.

Widowmaker rolled her eyes in annoyance as she snaps her sights to the fork that is reaching for the peacock bowl and, with almost no effort, shot it out of his hand.

The reaction was instantaneous, all the guards rushed forward and formed a literal wall of bodies to defend him, who remain seated as he looked at the half of his fork with a strange look of admiration, clearly impressed with the shot.

Sombra took the opportunity to turned invisible.

"Plan B, destroy A" Sombra said.

Widowmaker tapped on the first of the row of buttons in front of her leg. An explosion echoed in the distance.

"Hear that? One lab down!" Sombra shouted.

Widowmaker could not hear what Agong shouted back but he looked livid.

"Blow up 3 more"

3 more explosions rang through the forest with each tap of Widowmaker's foot, soon a terrible odor began filling the air.

"Alright Mexican! We shall have war! You are dead! I will personally see that everyone you know will die!"

"I like to see you try!" Sombra shouted back, appearing in front of Agong and his guards, a cocky grin on her face.

"Overwatch sends their regards!" she shouted before clutching her fist in the air, detonating every explosive on every dot on the map, causing the ground to shake.

Raising her MP7, she shot the man with the fish tattoo, killing him instantly. The guards immediately returned fire but she has already teleported away.

Widowmaker let out a groan of frustration, this whole operation was a waste of time.

"Mission accomplish, we can return to base" Sombra said happily.

"Tell me... How is it a success?" Widowmaker asked sarcastically.

"Are they looking at my little gift?"

Gift? Widowmaker look through her scope again and saw nothing significant, the guards are running around randomly and Agong is personally inspecting the places where Sombra was at previously.

"They are not looking at anything"

"You sure? I thought I left it at a pretty obvious place, make sure they see it before you go"

Annoyed, Widowmaker continued her observation.

It was not long before her patience was rewarded. Moving to the last location where Sombra was, Agong picked up something, she zoomed her scope closer to see that it is a...

"You left a picture?"

"Yup, who is on it?"

Squinting her eyes through the scope, she saw that it is...

"Why are you and **that girl** in the same photo? And who is the red head?"

"I switched sides didn't you know? I edited it obviously"

"How does that-" then she realized Sombra's intention.

"I suppose now is a good time to extract, vamos"

In a heartbeat, the blue skinned sniper disappear into the forest, glad that the mission is over and smiling as she imagines what may happen to her British rival.

* * *

Translations for the Malay words used:

1\. Menangkapnya - Arrest her

2\. Cepat - Quick/Faster

3\. Dia cakap - She/He speak

4\. Ular Kristal - Snake Crystal (direct translate)


	14. Chp 14 - Quillion Learns about the World

*Gibraltar: Watchpoint*

"Aww cheer up Quil! It wasn't THAT bad, at least now you are no longer a prisoner!" Lena said cheerfully.

They just exited the meeting room after another series of question by Jack and the others.

Jack was as brutal as his kicking, demanding exact and minute details of everything Quillion could remember as the historian "Kerry" listened intently and taking notes, while Reinhart and Torbjorn are more interested about his fighting abilities and the technology of his weapons.

They questioned him for 3 hours before a satisfied Morrison granted him permission to roam around with an agent present (which Lena volunteered), giving him 24 hours to make a decision whether he is with them or if they should drop him off somewhere.

"So, now that you are free, what are you going to do first?"

Quillion thought for a moment before asking.

"Mind if I use the Internet?"

*Gibraltar: Data Storage*

He found himself at a "Data Storage" department, which almost looks like a standard computer room.

Rows and rows of computers are aligned in a neat line and most computers are already occupied with soldiers who seem to be contacting who he assumed are their loved ones.

"Aren't you worried that they will leak sensitive or confidential information?" Quillion asked.

"Don't worry, everything that comes in or out are reviewed by Athena so it's pretty safe" Lena replied as they look for a vacant booth.

"Ahh, here ya go luv!" she said after finally spotting a seat.

"Thanks" he said, sitting down and looked for the power on button. There is none. In fact, besides a microphone and monitor, there is no keyboard nor a mouse or anything that resembles a desktop or motherboard.

"Oh right!" Lena said, leaning forwards to the microphone, "Lena Oxton".

Quillion can smell her shampoo, a thought which he quickly shove away from his mind as the computer activates.

"Welcome Lena, how may I assist you today?" Athena said.

"Heya Athena, just help Quillion with whatever he needs ya?" she said, patting Quillion in the head, annoying him slightly.

"Affirmative, hello Quillion, how may I assist you?"

"Err... Is this the only way to do research?" he asked quietly.

"Yup! Don't worry, Athena is state of the art, she can find what you are looking for" Lena said confidently.

"This ain't good" Quillion thought to himself "How can I do research about Overwatch or the world if their own program is in control of all the information?"

Lena saw that Quillion is disheartened by the situation, thinking that he is not convinced about Athena's abilities, she decided to give an example.

"Athena, show live reports from BBC"

"A moment Ms Oxton"

The screen switched to the BBC News, which pleased Quillion slightly at the fact an old organization from his time is still around.

"See? Its easy, but you can watch this first and give it a try later" she said.

"Ms Oxton, you have a call" Athena said.

"Oh? Send it to my communicator"

Quillion waited as she walked a short distance away. Though he tries not to, he can't help but to eavesdrop.

"He will survive? That's great news Ange! I'll be there in a second!" she said before vanishing.

"Shall I switch to something else Mr Quillion?" Athena asked.

"No, leave it on" he replied, trying to figure out how to gather information in the most unbiased method possible from an AI now that Lena is gone.

"Show me the greatest achievements of Overwatch"

"Affirmative"

The screen began flashing old newspaper clippings, news reports and books recording the deeds of the glory days of Overwatch, how they were vital against the first Omnic Crisis and how they advance the human race while performing many humanitarian duties across the world.

It pained Quillion when he saw that Malaysia has indeed been destroyed before Overwatch was formed.

He learned about the Crusaders of Germany, technological wonders of Hard Light from the Vishkar Corporation in India, impossible prosthetic applications, and even sound waves that heals or increase your speed from someone in Brazil?

Then he began his research regarding the Second Omnic Crisis and its current progression.

According to various news outlets that Athena provided, Russia has been successful in containing the situation but with great sacrifices. High-ranking military members have been dying in the droves within the past year. There were also sightings of strange military forces that does not belong to Russia whom are labeled as "vigilantes".

However, other parts of the world have been affected as some Omnic battalions inevitably broke out of the containment, Quillion sat back in surprise as he read that France was attacked, why did the Omnics skip Germany or Poland?

"Athena, show me who or what is Talon" Quillion said, suddenly remembering what Jack shouted at him at the hangar.

"Sorry, you are not cleared for that information" the AI replied.

"What? Why not?"

"You are not a member of Overwatch, therefore you are not cleared for that information"

Quillion sighed. He knew he is dealing with a computer so threatening or bargaining it would be a fruitless attempt. Leaning back, he tried to think of ways to gather some information that could help him understand this place more. Then he remembered what Angela said to him.

"How does the world view Overwatch currently?" he asked.

The screen began painting a very dark picture concerning Overwatch in contrast to their bright achievements.

Conspiracies, Black Watch, possible illegal activities, Venice Incident, United Nation's constant investigations, and finally, the destruction of the Swiss Headquarters.

Despite having an enhanced brain and stamina, the wealth of information Quillion absorbed exhausted him as he attempted to understand every minute detail as quickly as possible.

As much as he hates to admit it, Athena has been providing unbiased information as some of the reports she presented is truly damaging to Overwatch's reputation, especially their very deliberate decision to defy the Petras Act of the United Nations to reform Overwatch.

"Mr Quillion, Commander Morrison has cleared an information for all personnel concerning the event in Ireland, would you like to review?" Athena announced, showing a Yes and No display on screen.

He looked around and saw that every user pressed the Yes display, which he followed suit.

A news reporter appeared on screen in front of a large building whose front doors have been totally destroyed, as if someone literally threw something through it.

"Police has not identified who attempted to rob the bank but we were told that there were horrendous casualties among the guards, who were assigned to guard the bank in response to a tip off from the attacker themselves just a week before the robbery"

Quillion raised an eyebrow in interest "Looks like the attackers wanted to test something" he thought to himself.

"Eyewitnesses report that there were only two suspects who attacked the bank. It is now speculated that they were wearing superior armor or some invisible barrier as it was confirmed from the police that the bullet casings and plasma containers found on the scene are significantly higher than the bullets or plasma burns that have been collected, as if they all disappeared during the fight"

The news switch to a Police Captain who is at what looks like a Press Conference answering a question, echoing the reporter's words.

"We just received an updated report that there was a third suspect recorded by the security camera which the bank agreed to release to the public, we will air it now"

_**Ryūjin no ken wo kūrae!**_

Quillion watched in shock to see that it was the same Omnic whom he almost shot in the hangar, his blade seems to be emitting a green glow and a... dragon? Angela called it Genji... But before he could review it further, the clip ends.

"Officials from the bank have confirmed that they have not hired this individual and is now a prime suspect who weakened the bank's security from the inside"

The news presented another picture, where a little girl with claws, a floating man with floating debris on his hand and Genji charging towards a group of guards firing at them.

"All citizens are advised to report anyone who resembles..."

"Athena, replay that clip and show me that picture again, split the screen" Quillion said, something about that picture bothered him.

It took a moment before he saw it.

In the recorded holovid, Genji seemed to be in perfect condition when he shouted. In contrast, the Genji in the picture is bloodied with deep claw marking littered across his armor.

Was he fighting the girl before charging at the guards? That does not make any sense that he would join them to attack the guards.

"If they were working together, then they should return together" he thought to himself.

He began piecing the puzzle together, Genji's severe injuries, the claws from the girl and a floating man who throws strange floating projectiles, the crushed shuttle with claw marks...

"Quil! It is not him!" Lena shouted behind him, making him (and several others) jump as she blinked behind him.

"You nearly gave me a heart attack!" he almost shouted back, his hand clutching his heart. He was so deep in thought that this time, the surprise hurts.

"It is not Genji I promise with my life!" she continued, not listening to him.

He stood up and grabbed her shoulders, begging her to stop with his grip, which she gratefully did.

"I know" he said, maintaining eye contact "Just... Tell me, those two" he pointed at the floating man and girl "Are they our enemy?"

"We... We do not know yet" Lena admitted.

He let her go and sat back down, trying to figure out what to do next.

"Lena... Do you have access to hospital records for these people?"

She looked at him quizzically.

"Why do you need that?"

"I just need to be sure about something"

A moment pass before she said "We do have access to some medical reports but that is it, I am not showing you any pictures or videos"

"That is fine, I just want to confirm their injuries"

Lena looked at him suspiciously before making up her mind.

"Athena, show the medical reports of 5 random guards from this incident"

The screen presented 5 reports and each of them reported similar injuries. A combination of severe mutilation, suspected cannibalism, and strange crushed bones or concussions from small objects.

None of them were killed or injured by a blade.

"Lena, if these are the enemy... I think I will join you to stop them" Quillion said slowly.

She did not smile this time or give any of her usual "positive' vibe.

She simply said "Let's go"

*Gibraltar: Watchpoint Morrison's Office*

Commander Morrison's office is smaller than he thought, the only decorations in the room are a carpet and a small bar next to the door. The rest of the room is filled with file cabinets, multiple TV screens of various countries and a standard desk and chair. It looked more like a principle's office than anything else.

"You do realize what you are asking?" the Commander asked, his eyes narrowed as he stares at Quillion.

"Yes sir, I will volunteer to be soldier for Overwatch until I deem it as an enemy" was the reply.

Lena stood shocked at the side, though he did say that he will join them, he did not give any indication that he still doubted them.

"Interesting" Jack said "Very interesting... So you will turn traitor when you decide that we are the enemy?"

"Yes sir, forgive my bluntness sir, but I did just wake up into a new world. I must make precautions for myself"

"And if I refuse to recruit you?"

"Sir, you will be losing a valuable asset sir"

Morrison's eye's narrowed even further.

"Explain"

"Sir, I know from observation that you are understaffed and those that are available are volunteers. If I choose to join Overwatch then you will be guaranteed a fully capable soldier"

Morrison's eyes shifted to Lena for a moment before asking.

"Who told you we are understaffed Corporal?"

"No one sir" Quillion lied "The Hangar has no guards until the Commander and his men entered and the Medical Officer Mercy was the only person in the Medical Bay, which I suspect the Medical Team is with the Omnic Genji, sir"

"And I supposed you may have noticed that the corridors are mostly empty when Lena allowed you to escape from your cell?" Jack asked calmly.

"Yes sir"

The Commander thought for a moment, weighing possible options before finally replying.

"It is true we are understaffed and we need men, but you are unreliable"

"As long as Overwatch are the good guys, my loyalty is-" Quillion began but was cut off with a wave of a hand.

"No, I know you will not betray us if YOU are the 'good guy', as long as Overwatch recognizes you as a 'good guy' we will have no problems" Jack said, leaning back on his seat "By unreliable, I meant your abilities"

Quillion stood stunned. Though he rarely brag about his abilities, he knows his abilities are above any standard soldier.

"Sir?"

"You are one of the first test subjects for the Soldier Enhancement Program were you not?"

Quillion stared back.

"Because you were one of the first test subjects, you were gifted with talents. Those talents are to dramatically shorten the time to train a soldier by granting them abilities that usually takes hundreds of hours of practice and maintenance to gain"

Lena shifted a little on the side as Morrison revealed this information. She was so used to this being private information that she tried to give signals whether she should leave or not.

"You were one of the few who survived but side effects are inevitable, especially for that early stage of experiment" Jack continued, grabbing a file and flipping it open "For example: Lena found you unconscious after you destroyed 5 Bastion Units in Malaysia next to your own vomit?"

"That was because I breathed in those fumes"

"Tell me, did you puke before or after you breathed in the fumes. Do not lie to me, I will know"

"I... Before"

"According to the reports, the fumes should've killed you"

Quillion said nothing as he processes the information.

"She took a bit of your blood and found unnatural high spikes of adrenaline in your bloodstream, so high that it combated the poison. Furthermore, you recovered within 2 days with minimum medical attention and was even able to sketch an above average image while calling it... Chicken scratches?" he picked up a sketch book that Quillion immediately recognize.

"Which leads me to conclude, your unique abilities would be to increase your adrenaline to increasingly high levels to speed up your reflexes and reaction time BUT cause extreme dizziness?"

Silence fill the room when Morrison finished his assessment for a long time before Quillion decided to answer.

"Y... Yes sir" Quillion said softly, grudgedly impressed that the Commander managed to piece this together within a few days.

"This is what I would call unreliable" Jack said "I will assign you to go through Basic Training first before allowing you to go to the front lines"

Quillion's eyes widen "Sir, I am combat ready and I am already better than an average soldier"

"You are better because that's how they engineered you, but you need to be better than talented before we can think about using you... Private" Jack said flatly.

"I... Yes sir..."

"Lieutenant Oxton!"

Lena snapped into attention so quickly that it would've been funny if it weren't an order.

"Yes sir!"

"Take Private Zero to the Armory, I believe Torbjorn has something for him"


	15. Chp 15 - Upgrades and an Omnic's Past

*Gibraltar: Armory*

"Welcome Private! If ya got anything that needs fixin' or upgradin', this is the place to be" the Swedish said loudly over the constant banging and hissing behind him.

Unlike the other departments that are generally tidy or clean like a hospital, the Armory felt like a blacksmith's heaven. There are traces of ash and marks all over the room and a hint of smoke in the air.

Multiple tools have been arranged systematically on the walls, rows upon rows of machinery endlessly pouring molten metal into multiple pots. But most importantly is the end result as Quillion observe the rows upon rows of ammunitions being churned out of the factory.

"Heya Torbjorn, Jack said you've got something for Quil?" Lena said cheerfully, happy that she is surrounded by loud noises.

"Ahh yes, Private! Come get your armor!"

Quillion walked over and saw that his armor is no more than a standard flak jacket.

"Well, at least these are still standard issue" he said, trying to sound grateful.

"Lad... Laddie..." Torbjorn replied "Come here..."

Quillion leaned forward (or downwards) closer.

"Listen... NEVER CALL MY BABIES STANDARD!" he roared into Quillion's ear deafening him as Lena laughed.

Quillion staggered back, a hand over his ringing ear as Torbjorn snatch the flak jacket away from him.

"Look here" he said, opening the pockets and pulling out the plates.

"This is what I'd call Dragon Skin right? Look at these scales, these here can eat grenades for breakfast!" he said as he brush his finger across the scaly plate.

"I thought the military tested that design and found it lacking compared to normal plates" Quillion said, a finger still in his ear which is still ringing.

"That's because no one has ever fought a real dragon before!" Torbjorn exclaimed "But I have! And I gave this a bit of tweaking of my own, if you don't believe me, follow me"

He immediately walked off with a huff, partly annoyed and partly excited to show off his work.

"Common then! This should be good" Lena said as she followed him.

A short distance away seems to be some sort of testing chamber with multiple targets, dummies, walls, and poles littered around the small clearing, markings from whatever projectiles shot at them can be seen and the air smells of gunpowder.

"Here!" he shoved a familiar weapon into Quillion's chest. It is his XM-80! He eagerly inspected his weapon and checked every function. Besides it being somewhat cleaner, it is still the same rifle he parted with.

"That thing there is old tech, but it works from what I've heard" Torbjorn said as he looked unapprovingly at Quillion's excitement to have his rifle back.

"Oh she works alright" was the reply "So, I suppose I am to shoot at that jacket?"

"No, if you shoot at the jacket I'll have to patch it up, you shoot at the plate" he said as he pull out the Dragon Skin and hanging it on a hook at the middle of the chamber.

"Oh right, catch" Torbjorn said, throwing Quillion a full magazine "That is also from your backpack, gotta say, those look nasty"

"Think your Dragon Skin can handle it? These bullets are built to destroy Omnics ya know?"

"Ha! It'll think you just threw lotion on it"

Quillion smiled at the challenge as he loads his weapon and prime it for some action, the familiar hum meets his ears.

"Ok... 3, 2, 1, Fire!" Torbjorn shout as he and Lena put on their ear protection.

Raising his rifle, he fired 3 rounds straight into the Dragon Skin, its armor piercing payload exploding upon impact. Smoke filled the air and they saw the pole fell backwards onto the ground with a loud clang.

Quillion looked back at the two with a triumphant look on his face as he flipped on the safety switch.

"Oh? Feeling confident now aren't we?" Torbjorn said with matching glee.

"I think I dented it pretty badly yeah" Quillion replied, unfazed by the latter's confidence.

"Why don't we all go give it a look?" Lena interrupted.

The 2 men rushed forwards as Lena blinked between them to inspect the scale.

"Still think my babies are just standard?" the Swedish man said.

"Well... I must admit... It is definitely above standard" Quillion confessed.

"Looks like you haven't lost your touch Torbjorn!" Lena quipped happily.

Besides some slight black markings, the Dragon Skin is unscratched.

"My gift, to you" Torbjorn said with a dramatic flair.

"So... Why do I get to receive this gift? Seems a bit too generous" Quillion asked.

"What are ya talking about? Every fulltime soldier in Overwatch wears this" Torbjorn answered simply.

The Private's eyes widen in surprise. Every "fulltime" soldier?

"How many fulltime soldiers does Overwatch employ?" Quillion said, turning to Lena.

"You would be the 20th I think"

"That's it?" he wondered out loud "And here I thought they're giving these out like..." he glanced quickly at Torbjorn, who is looking at him, seemingly ready to shout again if he said something wrong "The quality armor that it is"

"Put it on, see if it needs some adjustments" Torbjorn said, passing him the vest.

"Why don't the rest wear this?" Quillion said as he tried it on, finding that it fitted him nicely "Maybe not that Reinhardt but someone like you"

"What me?" Lena asked back when she noticed that the question is directed to her, to which Quillion nodded.

"See Lena? Like I told ya, even he agrees that you need some armor yourself" Torbjorn added as he inspects the harness.

"And like I told ya before Torb, I don't need no platings" Lena replied with a huff.

"Don't call me Torb ya little cheeky..." Torbjorn grunted as he finishes his inspection. "Alright Private, come over to sign the papers then the vest is yours, take care of it and it'll take care of you"

"Thanks Torbjorn"

"Ya know, I can give that rifle a bit of tweaking if you want"

Quillion looked at him and back to his rifle, an upgrade does sound like a good idea.

"As long as I go over the details with you"

"Come into my office" Torbjorn said excitedly.

*15 minutes later*

"He's... Quite a character... My ear is still ringing" Quillion said as soon as the door shut behind them.

"Don't mind him, he just loves his job" Lena quipped "Anyways, time to show you around properly this time"

She toured him throughout the base, showing him the locations of the Mess Hall, War Room, Medical Bay and the Barracks.

"Here is where you'll stay, I think tomorrow you'll meet the Drill Instructor"

"Who funds all these things? Even if you cut every corner you can, all this would still cost quite a bomb" Quillion asked in amazement.

"We have some... Sponsors" Lena winked.

"Well... I guess those are quite some sponsors" he replied "Well, thanks for showing me everything around here"

"Almost everything, all that's left are the Private Quarters and the Bowling Alley" Lena said.

"A what?"

"Alright luv, I have a mission to attend to so have a good time in Basics!" Lena said with a smile before disappearing.

"B-bowling... Alley...?" he said to himself in wonder.

* * *

*Monaco: Casino Monaco*

Maximilien adjusted his tie in the mirror as an Omnic butler carefully polish his shoe.

The day is finally here. The day he worked so hard for.

"You may leave" he said to the butler, who stood up and bowed before backing away.

"Is everything to your satisfaction Mr Maximilien?"

He looked down and saw that his shoe is spotless and shining.

"Yes, thank you, ensure the guests have the finest that Don Rumbotico has to offer"

Bowing, the butler left the room.

"Finally, after 10 years, I have succeeded" he said to himself before looking at himself in the mirror one last time before leaving.

As he walked down the decorated hallway he casually readjusted his suit again, ensuring his perfect appearance is up to his standard, he must be perfect today.

Stopping at the middle of the hallway, as was his habit, he will look up towards a picture.

Of the many portraits and decorations that he had bought over the years, this by far is the cheapest but most significant.

The picture showed a team of Omnics holding a signboard bearing the words "Equal Pay" outside of a construction site.

Accessing his memory banks, he replayed that fateful day.

*Monaco: 10 years ago*

"The company has agreed to increase the pay for humans while we still work practically for free!" an Omnic said angrily to the gathering crowd outside of the company.

"We cannot allow this to continue! We need to sustain ourselves too" another added.

"Nothing will change... They look at us only as machines, not Omnics" an older model sighed.

"We are not just machines!"

"No but we are machines nonetheless!"

The crowd began shouting and arguing with one another, splitting into two groups, one mainly consisting of older models and another consist of newer models.

Above them is their latest model, an Omnic designated as Maximilien, who observed the crowd with great interest.

"I knew I'd find you up here" he heard a voice say, recognizing it is Marco.

"It may not be too safe for you to be here" Maximilien replied as the young man slip through the many bars to sit next to him.

"I've seen worse" Marco said as observe the angry Omnic below.

"It could be different this time, the newer models would cause problems"

"Common... How bad could it get?" Marco exclaimed as he drank a mouthful of beer that he brought.

"The Omnics make up 80% of the workforce here and they are getting restless because of unequal pay"

"You are all just machines, a bit of reprogramming then everything will be fine again, besides, what would machines use money for?"

Maximilien chuckled.

"What is your opinion for this Marco? Should we have equal pay?" he asked, to which Marco immediately scoffed.

"No way, machines have always worked for free, why should that ever change?"

"The world is changing and Omnics are becoming increasingly more aggressive everywhere"

"Bah, no point talking with you, you're not even listening to me" Marco said annoyingly as he finish his drink.

Ignoring the insult, Maximilien continue to watch in silence as Marco stands up.

"Common Max, let's get back to work" he said.

*Monaco: 8 years ago*

"Equal pay! Equal pay!" the Omnics shouted outside the gates of the construction site, Maximilian joined the crowd as they ignore the manager trying to calm the situation down.

The crowd does not only consist of Omnics, as some humans joined their strike, though Maximilien is annoyed that they are raising symbol that Mondatta uses rather than fighting for equal pay.

Coming forward to try to talk to them was the oldest model Omnic in the corporation, Bolts.

"We have agreed to worked for this pay, why are you reacting this way?" Bolts shouted.

"That is because it is an old contract that is degrading to every Omnic here!" a shout called out which was echoed. As the shouts intensifies, the humans began chanting "One in Iris!"

This continued for some time before a bus appeared and a group of Omnics walked out. Maximilien noticed that these models are newer and seem to have more functionality compared to them.

Encouraged because everyone thought it is more numbers to their ranks, the crowd cheered and their chanting grow louder.

However, to everyone's shock, the Omnics ignored the crowd and walked straight into the site, the leader in front. Everyone watched as it shook hands with the Manager.

Everyone held their breath as the Manager stood back onto the platform.

"The company has met some hard times and therefore we will be cutting the workforce immediately. The company has decided that the newer models from year 2066 will replace all previous models starting from today"

The crowd was silent from unbelief at this news. They lost their jobs?

"No! You can't just let us go!" Bolts shouted, running back to the manager.

But it fell on deaf ears as the new models enter the site and began working, uncaring what will happen to the crowd.

They continued protesting for a few weeks before they gave up as it is not producing any results.

First they collected what little they have to support one another and started a charity for themselves, however, even their supposed "supporters" disappear a few months into the donations.

The first few months all of them looked for jobs, however, the stigma against Omnics due to the result of the First Omnic Crisis is rampant throughout the country, many ignored them and left them to rust as many businesses hired humans over them.

Maxilimien shuddered as he remembered how they ran out of money for maintenance and clothes as they scavenge through the streets for discarded parts. Even beggars looked at them in disdain and began attacking them as they begged on the streets for money, shouting that they need the money more than any machine.

It was not long before they began doing the unthinkable.

Tearing one another apart for parts.

The broken were the first to be disassembled, then the older models, soon every model is a target.

He remembered the rust growing all over his body, he remembered the desperation that forced his hand upon his fellow Omnic, the different model parts he installed upon himself.

It was during these desperate times where they began turning to other things, some turned to the failed religion of Mondatta, who will not shut up about uniting everyone, some betrayed their own principles and become slaves to other organizations.

The majority however, turn to crime and Maxilimien soon found that his processor thrives within the realms of gambling.

He held illegal gambling competitions from the games that he created, using his own algorithms and methods, his games became the most popular method to gamble within the underground organizations, his philosophy for his games is 'Simple but not Easy' and 'Easy but not Simple'.

From his games he quickly became the crime lord in Monaco, though not by peaceful means. He remembered that he had to brutally crush the most stubborn of oppositions and some of his more ambitious "followers".

Once all his opponents are destroyed, he invested into many legitimate businesses, earning a status that demanded the respect of everyone around him.

He infuriated the authorities as his influence grew rapidly whilst able to cover his illegal activities with a level of precision that even the factory that made him was shocked at his efficiency.

Unbeknownst to them that Maxilimien has poured most of his wealth into upgrading himself to his maximum capacity and potential, so much so that most of his hardware is still superior to any Omnic models to this day.

But the most precious file in his memory bank is walking back into the office of his previous boss and bought the company.

Using its resources he made his ultimate vision come true. A casino of his own design that hosts his games, legitimizing his creation to the public.

Movies and books have been made in his honor, a story of success birth from tragedy skyrocketed Maxilimien to celebrity status.

*Monaco: Casino Monaco*

And today. Today shall be the final chapter of the story that stemmed from a protest.

Today, his efforts has officially dethroned Las Vegas as the Gambling Capital and Entertainment Capital of the World.

The butler returned and see that Maximilien is staring at the picture.

"Sir? It is time"

"Tell me Bolts, do you regret any of it? Supporting the humans who discarded you?"

Bolts stayed quiet as Maximilian walked pass him and into the ballroom.

Applause filled the room as he walked towards the stage to receive his award. He scanned the stage once more to ensure that the people who will sign the documents are all high ranking members of the Gambling Association before delivering his speech.

"Thank you all for coming. 10 years ago I was but a humble Omnic on the streets, but I have a vision. A vision that all humans and Omnics will have proper jobs and opportunity to grow. I have made the world's first casino that is completely operated by Omnics and..."

*2 hours later*

As people began to leave, Maximilien returned to the gambling floor, observing the steadily increasing number income he is earning per second.

"That was a good speech Maximilien" a man said as he walked up to him, wearing his usual formal white suit.

"What are you doing here?"

"You sound surprised, why shouldn't we be here?"

"We?" Maximilien repeated, scanning the floor once again and he saw Widowmaker at the Roulette table.

"Am I to understand that you wish to discuss business?"

"Just a few words" Ogundimu said.

"Very well, how may I be of service?"

"From your recent achievements, it will be safe to assume you will have a substantial income?"

"That is correct"

"We will need a 200% increase in our funding from your casino"

Maximilian shot him a look, an action that displeases Doomfist.

"Would that be a problem?" he asked as he placed a hand onto the Omnic.

"Even with my resources, that sort of money is difficult to move"

"I have established a front in Egypt that you may use for your laundering"

"Regardless, 200% is..."

"Remember our goal Maximilien, our plans has never been about money, you do well to remember why our last chairman has to... 'Resign'"

"I do not believe I signed up for this" Maximilien whispered quietly.

"But you did. Make it happen"

* * *

Hey guys, due to my inexperience and compulsion, I think I should not have posted Chapter 13 on Tuesday, so I apologize if that has caused some confusion for the plot (if any).

So, if I were to show my appreciation for hitting my little goals for this fan fiction, I'll just add an extra chapter to my usual 2 on Fridays.

Some of you may have also noticed that I have added Act 1 for Chapter 1's title. I am planning to have 3 Arcs for this Fan Fiction so everyone will have an idea how the story is progressing.

Thank you for your continual reading and I hope that I will improve to continue to provide a good story!


	16. Chp 16 - Break or Make her?

*Venice: Talon Base*

"Again" Moira ordered.

SS28, now noticeably older, struggled back up on her feet before the hulking Heavy Assault Unit. Ever since the incident at the bank, Moira has been pushing her to her breaking point for weeks. She was told that if only she could defeat this Heavy Assault Unit will she be allowed to rest.

"What are you waiting for? Attack!" Moira ordered again.

With a frustrated scream, SS28 leapt at her opponent and once again, her claws barely scratched the reinforced exoskeleton. Every time she made any progress to actually damaging the Heavy Assault Unit, Moira would instantly heal it.

"Harder! Faster!"

SS28 intensified her attack but was brutally countered as her opponent swung his weapon, breaking her arm as she flew into the wall. Seizing the opportunity, he unleashed a deadly volley into her, causing her to cry out in pain.

The scientists looked on with concern, fearful that SS28 will either break under this pressure or die.

"Dr O'Deorain" one scientist said, causing Moira to tear her attention away from the test, anger filling her eyes, she recognized him as SS28's main observer.

"What?"

"Sh… She has been fighting for more than 4 hours… We…" he stopped short when he saw his fellow colleagues shot him a murderous look.

"I… Think that it is best if she could rest for a while before… She continues her… Training?" he finished pathetically.

Moira stared at him silently.

"Unit 88, hold your fire" she spoke into her microphone.

Silence came and everyone held their breath in fear as they wait for her next move. She walked slowly towards the scientist and raised her right arm.

"Excuse me Dr O'Deorain, a... Oh..." a runner said, freezing at the sight of her raised arm over the cowering scientist.

"This better be important" she said calmly.

"Mr Korpal from the Vishkar Corporation is here to see you" the runner replied.

"Ahh… Send him in, everyone else, leave" she said, lowering her arm.

The scientist almost collapsed to his knees in relief as they all ran out of the laboratory.

"You two, return in an hour for further testing" Moira said to Unit 88 and SS28.

"Yes ma'am" they both replied before returning to their respective quarters.

Moira sighed heavily as she watch SS28 walked out with her head down, knowing that she disappointed Moira with her recent performance.

If it were not for the sudden deadline, they would have more time to develop her skills further. However, she must be pushed to the breaking point constantly in hopes that she will evolve faster under the pressure.

"Dr O'Deorain" she heard Sanjay say as he enters the room, pulling a large suitcase "I trust that your research for our next step is ready?"

Pulling out a file from her coat, she hands it over to Sanjay, who recoiled slightly as she used her right arm.

"Everything you need is in that file" she said flatly "As long as the blueprints you gave me is accurate, then this will provide the optimum results"

"Excellent" he said as he flips through the file, smiling as his goals grow steadily closer to his ambition.

"And now, what do you have for me?" Moira asked.

"Ahh..." he said as he opens the suitcase, revealing an almost transparent vest and claws "We usually build simple security turrets and buildings but this… This is some next level tech"

"This meets all my specific requirements?" Moira asked, ignoring the dramatic speech.

"Of course, though it was not easy. This will stretch as your little soldier grows as if it is his or her own skin, but I have to tell you one thing, the hard-light grows thinner with every stretch, so it will technically grow weaker"

"I will keep that in mind" Moira said, unconcern about the thinning of a simple armor "I only require it for a few months"

"Then why don't you just use regular armor?"

"That is all for today Sanjay, is there anything else you wish to discuss?" Moira said as she fade to the door, opening it for her guest to leave.

"I suppose not, good doing business with you Dr."

She did not reply as she close the door behind him.

Raising her arm, she shot a stream of purple beams towards the suitcase and watch it crumble to dust, leaving only the hard-light armor and claws.

Smiling, she collected her new tools and fade into SS28's quarters, which she found her sleeping on her bed.

"Soon" Moira thought to herself "You will grow faster than we would ever thought possible".

Normally it is not her preference to see to matters personally but, in this case, it is necessary that only she must know about this, no one else, not even SS28.

*One hour later*

Moira and her team stood by as they watch Unit 88 and SS28 enter the testing floor. What everyone noticed is that her skin seems a bit fairer and lighter than usual but no one thought more of it as she consistently changes her physique.

"Begin" she commanded.

Unit 88 prepared himself in his usual fighting stance as he waits for SS28 to charge. However this time she remained still, head bowed in defeat.

"SS28… Attack" Moira said again, speaking louder now. The scientists stood by silently as they quietly pray for the test to begin lest she turn her wrath on them instead.

Moira stared at her test subject with rising anger.

"Very well" she thought to herself "If she refuses to attack, I'll force her to attack"

"Unit 88! Attack!" she shouted into the microphone.

He responded immediately, aiming both weapons at SS28, he delivered a massive payload of lead and steel at his target. With a scream she curled into a ball as his shots hit home, soon she is engulfed in a cloud of smoke and sparks.

"Double your firepower" she said.

The room shook as the Heavy Assault Unit complied, firing his weapons at its highest speed until he ran out of ammunition. To Moira's frustration, SS28 did not retaliate.

"Charge in! Ram her!" Moira shouted.

With a roar of his jetpacks he charged straight into the cloud, his speed and strength surpassing even the Crusaders of Germany.

Moira gripped the edges of her desk until her knuckles turn white.

If she does die…

"No" she thought, shaking her head angrily "She will succeed"

Then finally it happened, a result Moira desperately needed. Unit 88's charge cleared the smoke and with an almighty collision, he was stopped dead in his tracks.

He looked down in surprise as he saw that not only his opponent had stood back up and caught him, her claws has penetrated deep into his armguard.

Within a violent second, she tore his arm from its sockets, causing him to scream in pain. Lashing out with his other arm, he knocked her flying towards the wall. To his horror, it barely had any effect as she skidded to a halt before charging him again.

Throwing away his weapon, he dodged her charge and grabbed the back of her head and slam her face onto the pavement so fiercely that cracks formed from the impact.

"This is the end for you" he thought to himself as he felt Moira's healing spray slowly healing his injuries.

But it was all in vain.

Arcing backwards with impossible flexibility, she grabbed and tore his remaining hand in half, his screams music to her ears. In a snakelike slither, she repositioned herself before beginning her massacre. Her arms were blurs as she clawed her way into his armor so easily that it is as if he were naked before a sword, far surpassing the healing capabilities of the healing spray.

"Very good… Very good…" Moira said as she faded onto the floor, clapping sarcastically "Took you long enough. Now... Stand down..."

SS28 looked up from her dead opponent and recognize the woman who have made her life a living hell. The woman who kept pushing her to the breaking point. The woman who gave her nothing but pain. She looked at her with absolute hate.

Moira smiled as she sees her creation charge at her with animalistic rage.

Putting both her hands together, she focused all her biotic energy into her hand as she fades behind SS28. When SS28 realized where her target has faded to, it was too late.

**_Geill do mo thoil!_**

Unleashing her Coalescence she launch the beam straight into SS28, drowning her in a huge beam that bypasses the hard-light armor. It was not long before her subject collapse onto the floor in pain, exhausted and defeated.

Moira approached her subject who is now crying silently on the floor, curled into a fetus position as she awaits her punishment for her insubordination.

She bent down and reached out with her right hand, causing the little girl to curl tighter, shivering and whimpering in fear.

"Shh…" Moira hushed gently, shocking her and the scientists above at this sudden show of affection "Rest now little one, you did well today, you made me proud"

Upon hearing this SS28 looked at her with confused eyes, her crying slowly stopping as Moira stroke her hair, showing her motherly affection for the first time in her life.


	17. Chp 17 - Zarya Called, Genji Awakes

*Russia: The Front*

Russia was one of the first countries to be affected by the First Omnic Crisis, suffering heavy casualties for the world was woefully unprepared for such a brutal and sudden invasion from what was once their tools. With supreme effort the Russia was able to repel the Omnic Advance by itself but not without sacrifice, millions have been slain to grind their enemies to a halt before tearing it apart piece by piece.

As if history has repeated itself, the Second Omnic Crisis has begun within Russian lands. However, the Russians are now prepared. Within their ranks they employ particle cannons, advance vehicles, drones and, perhaps their most powerful weapon, the hulking giant honor guards of Volskaya that equates a skyscraper, the Svyatogor Mechs.

However, despite their preparations and advance technology, the Second Omnic Crisis gained ground. Though unknown to most of the Russian citizens, the Russian government and military know full well that their "victories" so far were hollow and they would have been defeated if it were not for the vigilantes.

This is mainly due to the fact that within a few months, their most capable military leaders and soldiers died rapidly throughout the war. Though they were buried with full battle honors or reported as natural causes, they knew the truth, they were all murdered. Some speculate it was the vigilantes who carried out the deeds so they could gain glory in battle while others believe that it was just a horrendous case of bad luck.

Regardless of their theories, many Russians look to Katya Volskaya, the most powerful woman in Russia. Recently her popularity soared, prospects of new Mechs and surviving an assassination has given the Russian people hope and revived the fighting spirit.

Each day more and more pilots volunteered to test the new Mechs, their experience in the battlefield provided vital input that will ensure that each unit will be used to its fullest potential.

But even with every factory in Russia producing Mechs each day, they still could not produce enough for everyone. Facing this fact, infantry divisions still remains as the largest force in the army. However, with the death of many of its veterans and commanding officers, casualties have never been higher.

Despite this however, a rising star has shot through the ranks, the last veteran who survived countless battles and has always led the charge. Aleksandra Zaryanova, an athlete who gave up her fortune to fight for her country.

As a celebration for their recent victories over the Omnics, Russia has organized a parade in their honor for them and also to show the might of the Russian army to keep morale high among the population.

"What is the point of a parade? We barely push back the last assault!" Zarya shouted, slamming her fist onto the desk.

"You have your orders, you are to return to Saint Petersburg to participate in the parade that will be held in your honor" the Colonel said.

"What honor? The last battle we barely pushed the Omnics back, we almost lost our forward base!"

"Did you not lead the charge that ensured victory from the last assault?" the Colonel asked angrily.

"Yes but.."

"Did you not destroy an Omnic Titan singlehandedly?"

"It was already damaged when I got there and…"

"Enough. Your transportation is already here, pack your things and go, they will be expecting you tonight"

"But tomorrow is our last push! I could not leave the front to receive some stupid flower and bits of metal!" Zarya said angrily "I must lead my men!"

"You will return to Saint Petersburg tonight to participate for the parade and that is a direct order!"

The finality of his statement ended the discussion. Even if she convinces him not to send her back, someone else would've dragged her back anyway. With a reluctant salute, Zarya left the office and returned to the barracks.

"Here comes the Russian hero!" Private Ivan shouted as she walked in. The soldiers cheered, throwing their fists into the air as she sat down on her mattress.

"Common now! We couldn't have the hero of the Army to sit down there! Here!" Ivan continued, throwing a bottle at her which she caught "Let us celebrate your victory over a Titan!"

"It was nothing" she said with fake bravado "You boys would've handled it"

"Handled it? It stomped our tanks and ate our rockets! If you didn't show up, we'd be dead!" another shouted, followed by another cheer.

"Drink comrade! For tomorrow we charge back into the gates of Hell!"

"I will not be going tomorrow" Zarya said heavily as she drank.

The happy faces around her changed to confusion at those words, she has always led the charge even when she is injured, what happened?

"What do you mean Zarya? Where are you going?" Ivan asked quietly

The doors swung open and 3 political officers marched into the room. The entire room stood in attention and salute at their presence as they walked past them.

"Your transportation is ready Sergeant Zarya" one of them said.

Zarya looked at them coldly before grabbing her gear.

"Don't worry boys" she said to the soldiers who remained at attention "I will be back as soon as I can, until then, don't die"

"Permission to speak Sergeant" a soldier requested, whom she recognize as Private Bobkov.

"Granted" she said.

"Watch your back" he said simply.

Everyone stared before the whole barracks fell into a roar of laughter. The 3 political officers looked at them disapprovingly while Zarya smiled. She has always shouted that at them during battle and this was the first time someone ever repeated it back to her.

Flexing her arm for all to see, she parted with a shout "Remember! Together we are strong!"

"Together we are strong!" the soldiers echoed with a cheer.

Zarya smiled as she gave them all one final look before leaving with a heavy heart. It is not right for her to enjoy the pleasures of life as long as her men are suffering.

"You would make a good politician Sergeant" another officer commented as they walk towards their helicopter.

"I do not think that life is for me" she said simply.

"Who knows, maybe it is if you give it a chance"

"What is that?" Zarya asked as the saw another helicopter has a container attached to it.

"It is for the parade" the officer said simply.

Zarya's eyes narrowed but didn't think much of it, though the sight bothered her and she does not know why. She decided to ignore it for now and made a mental note to be present when they open the container.

The helicopter took off before the one with the container as it has extra weight. Once the pilots saw their signal to leave, they took off, oblivious to the fact that every crew member at the airfield had just been taken out one by one by Hellfire Shotguns. Oblivious that they have a stowaway on their cargo as he Shadowstep on it, his claws gripped around the cable as his cloak billowed around him in the ice cold wind.

"Death comes for you"

* * *

*Gibraltar: Watchpoint*

"So how is our new recruit?" Morrison asked the Drill Sergeant as he receive the daily reports.

"Sir he... May I speak frankly sir?" he asked.

"You may"

"I have no clue why he is in Basic Training sir" the Drill Sergeant admitted "He has performed better than anyone I've ever trained, he even perfected the Navy Seals course within 3 days"

The Commander did not say anything but continue flipping through the file.

"3 days sir... Even an Omnic couldn't do that if it were not specialized for it!"

"What is your opinion Sergeant?"

"I suggest to put him to combat duties immediately" the Drill Sergeant said without hesitation "He will be a great addition to our cause"

"Will he now..." Morrison said, more to himself than to the Sergeant.

"Sir?"

"Thank you, Sergeant, that will be all..."

"Sir" the Sergeant saluted before leaving the office.

Judging by the reports the results are indeed impressive. Durability, accuracy, mentality, martial arts, and even instincts are honed to an incredible level. However, it is not good enough. Being able to go through the harshest physical training with relative ease disappointed the old veteran greatly.

There was a knock on the door as he puts down the file.

"Enter"

"We need to talk Jack" Winston said as he came in, shutting the door behind him.

"What do you want Winston?"

"I want to talk about how you are leading Overwatch" the scientist said as he sat on the floor.

"They are soldiers Winston, they are here to be pushed" Morrison said bluntly.

"Jack... You sent agents all over Russia with little to no rest, you ordered Tracer to a dangerous mission with no one else close enough to reinforce her, and you almost killed an unarmed man"

"We are all soldiers now Winston and we are at war. Rest is not a luxury that we can afford. Is that not why you forced me to come all the way from Mexico when you realize playing hero is too much for you?" Morrison said, his eyes narrowing.

"I brought you back from Mexico to rejoin our family"

"And you needed someone who knows how to win wars"

"Your experience from the First Omnic Crisis is indeed valuable, especially after what we faced in Paris, your experience is needed more than ever" Winston said carefully "But more than that, we needed you to keep us together and focused Jack, just like the old days where we showed the world to what it could be"

Jack Morrison said nothing for a while before replying.

"Those days are over Winston" he said slowly "We are all criminals here so we must be harsh"

"We are not some gang in Dorado" Winston sighed "We are Overwatch, we are family and we must do what is right, even if the world thinks otherwise"

Morrison chuckled for a moment "We are no longer heroes Winston"

"Then help us be the good guys"

Morrison said nothing for a moment, as if he is actually contemplating the idea. Winston knew that deep down, Jack misses the comradery they all once had, that he desires to revive the glory days where they focus not only to win a war, but to be a beacon of advancement of culture and science.

"No. Not until I find the ones responsible for what happened. I need to find Reyes. I need to find Talon" he said finally.

"Jack, this is much bigger than Talon, we must-" Winston began.

"NOTHING" Jack shouted "Is more important than finding the ones who tore us apart Winston! Isn't that what you promised me when you found me? To hunt them down with all our resources?"

Winston said nothing as Morrison continued his tirade.

"But no! You showed me another war that you needed me to win! You and your empty promises Winston! If it weren't for..."

Before Morrison continue, there is a banging on the door.

"What is it?" Morrison shouted.

"Private Alex here sir! I am reporting that the Agent Genji has woke up and -"

The door flew open as Jack and Winston ran past the Private, nearly crushing him as they dash towards the Medical Bay.

* * *

Hello readers!

I will be changing my posting to a more engaging method. So starting from next week, I will still be posting 2 chapters, each in different days.

For example:

1\. Wednesday: 1 chapter

2\. Friday: 1 chapter

I will still try to maintain the time to be at or before 20:00 AWST.


	18. Chp 18 - Invasion of Spain 1

*Gibraltar: Medical Ward*

When Jack and Winston reached the Medical Ward, Angela, Torbjorn, Mei, Lena and Reinhardt are already around Genji's bed. He is heavily bandaged but sitting up and alert, a new scar raked across his left shoulder.

"How are you feeling Genji?" Winston asked.

"I'd rather not be on the bed" he said.

"He is fine, he just needs rest" Angela said.

"What happened Genji? What did this to you?" Morrison asked.

Silence fell around the bed as they wait for Genji to reply.

"It was... A... Girl..." he muttered, a response which made everyone looked at each other in confusion.

Genji told them about the incident in the bank, how he faced a girl with the black claws and a man who seem to manipulate his surroundings.

"I failed to stop them... It is the first time I saw something that the Shimada Dragon could not cut..." he finished.

Everyone listened in shock, not knowing what to say. Just a few months ago he managed to slice off the hand of an Omnic Titan with apparent ease and now there is an even greater threat out there.

"Tell us Genji, who was it?" Morrison asked.

"I... Do not know" Genji admitted "From my travels around the world with Master Zenyatta, I have never seen an enemy as capable as this"

"A new enemy... I'm sure we could handle it if the time comes" Reinhardt said, trying to liven up the situation.

"That's right, we were always able to handle new challenges together" Lena added enthusiastically.

"I think we should let Genji rest" Angela said, noticing that their efforts to cheer him up is having the opposite effect.

"Torbjorn, when will my body be combat ready?" Genji asked.

"Hmm... Judging from what I saw, it may take a week before we can install it back on you" Torbjorn replied sadly.

Genji groaned, he has already suffered embarrassment of defeat, now he could not even move out of his own bed without assistance for another week. This is a heavy blow for the proud ninja.

"Winston... Mei" he said "May I speak to you both privately?"

They nodded as the rest exited the room.

"I wonder who could've done that" Lena said sadly.

"Everyone back to their duties. We are done here" Morrison said as he walked off. Everyone gave one another a look of annoyance at his tone before returning to their posts.

"Tell me... Are you both familiar with other fields of science such as gravity and genetics?" the cyborg asks the two scientists.

"I mean... I have to know a bit for observing storms and weathers" Mei said simply.

"I only know enough to understand where I came from" Winston added.

"Has there been anyone in the world who successfully weaponized both?"

Winston and Mei thought about it for a moment before they shook their heads.

"The military has tried to manipulate gravity for years but they were never successful to make it practical" Mei replied.

"Only the United States have conducted experiments to weaponize genes, but they shut that project down long ago by orders of the United Nations" Winston added.

"When I was fighting those monsters... I believe they were successful in perfecting both as weapons"

"Those could just be advance weaponry that we have not seen before" Mei said as she recalls his descriptions of his opponents.

"No, I do not feel any shifting of the wind nor do I see any equipment that formed the claws. These are truly new abilities that are not merely confined to equipment"

"That's impossible, to do that they require enormous amount of resources and the brightest minds" Winston exclaimed.

"And who do we know that potentially has those resources?" Genji said quietly.

"You are suggesting that it is Talon?"

Genji nodded.

"Why didn't you tell Jack about this just now?" Mei asked.

"Because I sense that he has been clouded by the need for revenge, if I shared my suspicions with him, he would be sending everyone to certain death"

"How are you so su-?" Mei stopping herself quickly as she remembers Genji's past.

"I can sense it within him" he replied simply "But there's more, when I attacked, it seems both of them were expecting me, as if someone told them when I will be there"

Everyone looked at each other, their operations have always been secretive. The only way the enemy would know if they are coming would mean there is a mole among them.

"Genji, if what you are saying is true, Jack must know" Winston said quietly.

"No, we must become stronger before we look for them" Genji concluded "We need better soldiers and weapons"

"That is something we cannot do in a short time Genji" Winston said.

"I know, we must be patient... By the way, how is that man Quillion doing?" Genji asked suddenly.

It took a moment for Winston to realize who Genji was talking about.

"Where did you hear that name?" he asked.

"Angela told me that Lena brought back a survivor from a mission" Genji said "I thought we were under attack when he nearly shot me"

"Ahh yes, well, he is going through Basic Training now so we are still unsure if he will join us or not" Winston replied.

Genji tilted his head in confusion "Basics? I saw his posture, he seems very experienced"

Winston sighed "Yes, I heard he is doing extremely well, but Jack does not want to use him"

"Yeah I've been wondering about that, why do you think that is Winston?" Mei asked.

"I don't know... But he has his reasons..." Winston said.

Just then the door swung open and Private Alex ran in, panting.

"Commander! Have you seen the Commander?" he shouted.

"Calm down Private, what is wrong?" Winston said.

"The Null Sector! They're attacking Algeciras!"

"Now?" Mei asked.

"Yes!"

With a grunt, Winston galloped out of the ward towards Morrison's office, Private Alex following close behind.

"This is strange..." Genji thought out loud.

"Wh-what do you mean Genji?" Mei asked.

"We thought we contained the war within Russia" Genji pondered "But they have attacked France and now Spain... Why Spain?"

"Do you think those people you told us about will show up again?"

"No, they destroyed many Omnics without hesitation, they would be poor allies for the Null Sector"

They saw a group of security guards ran pass the open door, fully armed.

"Wait even our security team is going?" Mei asked in shock.

"Must be quite a battle"

"Sh-should I go?"

Genji saw her worried look.

"You make your own decisions if no one gave you any instructions"

"Right... I... I'll stay for now" she said hesitantly.

"If you are staying, I would request you to do something"

"What's that?"

"Your freezing gun"

"You mean my Endothermic Blaster?"

"Yes, it requires an upgrade"

*Gibraltar: Barracks*

Quillion has always imagined what it is like to join an illegal mercenary organization. He fantasized that it would have better facilities, food, and pay to maintain the loyalty of different fighters from all over the world.

He also imagined that the barracks would be filled with different people and cultures, united by bond that is beyond their country, regardless if it is right or wrong, driven by a veteran of countless battles with a no-nonsense attitude.

However, he found that Overwatch is extremely different from what he imagined as the barracks have more than 100 bunks but there is only one other recruit whose name is Private Alex, who never seems to participate in any training as he is always the runner, and the Drill Sergeant seem to be more concern about testing the abilities of the recruits rather than actually making soldiers.

Laying on his bed, Quillion pondered.

"What else do I have to do to convince the Commander to let me fight?" he thought.

Was it something he said back then? When he said that he will quit whenever he feels like it?

"Then they won't waste resources training me since they are undermanned and have limited funds..."

But they do have a bowling alley...

The door swung open and Quillion jumped up in attention as the Drill Sergeant walks in for inspection, to which he was satisfied with the cleanliness of the latrines.

"At ease Private" he said "Today we will be testing your accuracy. Get your gear"

"Yes Sarge!"

After achieving a 97% accuracy rating, Quillion felt it is time to ask about something that has been bothering him ever since he signed up.

"Permission to speak Sarge?"

"Granted"

"The barracks has enough beds to hold a company, where are they?"

"They're on leave or fighting Private" he said simply.

"When will the Private be ready to join the fight Sarge?"

"When the Commander clears you to fight"

The Commander again... Why does he seem to micro manage everything?

"How's the targets?" Torbjorn asked as he enters the room.

"Bit on the slower side aren't they?" Quillion said casually, flipping his weapon to safety and looking at his results, not seeing that Torbjorn and the Drill Sergeant cast a knowing look at one another.

"Haven't you told Morrison that this kid's ready?" Torbjorn asked quietly.

"I have, but the Commander insisted that he remain in Basics"

Torbjorn shook his head in disbelief, what is Morrison thinking?

"So I take it that you have gotten used to the new upgrades?"

"Oh yes" Quillion said, looking at his now very customized XM Rifle "It's perfect"

"It is only perfect because it does all the little things well"

"I guess... Speaking of doing little things well, I am just a little bit away from 100%... Permission to run the course again?" Quillion said, looking up from his results.

"Granted"

Then the alarm sounded.

"All military personnel are to assemble at the Hangar immediately" Athena announced repeatedly.

Quillion looked to the Drill Sergeant eagerly.

"Well what are you waiting for Private? Move!"

"Yes sir!" Quillion responded as they all took off for the Hangar.


	19. Chp 19 - Invasion of Spain 2

Good day everyone!

The last chapter that I posted is Chapter 18 two days ago (11th Dec 2019) so if this chapter feels a bit disconnected from Chapter 17, it could be because you may have missed the last chapter.

I have set up a poll on my profile where you can vote if you prefer this new posting method or the old one. If there are no votes, I will maintain Wednesday 1 chapter and Friday 1 Chapter.

Thank you for your interest in my story and enjoy!

* * *

*Gibraltar: Watchpoint Hangar*

"This briefing will be short!" Morrison shouted to the assembly of soldiers before him, which barely made up of more than 40 men, one half consisting the full security team of Overwatch while the other half are a mix of ex-criminals and mercenaries.

This would have been a suicidal attempt if they have not been reinforced by some of the most powerful and courageous fighters the world has ever seen.

"The Null Sector has invaded Algeciras and we do not have the manpower to push them back, so this will be a Rescue Operation" Morrison said loudly over the explosions and gunfire echoing from the distance.

"To avoid being detected, we will be using one shuttle" he continued, pointing to the largest one in the hangar.

"From past records the Null Sector will only attack areas they have not scorched, therefore you are to lead the survivors to Bahia Park"

"Captain Wilhelm and Captain Lindholm will move in first to clear a path, once it is open, the main force will search and evacuate the area of any civilians. Engineer Master Torbjorn will be dropping armor packs and turrets to provide additional fire support if required. Lieutenant Oxton will provide guidance from the air. Once all civilians are cleared, return to base. Understood?"

"Yes sir!" the soldiers responded.

"Remember, this is a Rescue Operation, under no circumstances you are to engage the Null Sector directly or assist the Spanish army"

"Yes sir!"

"Board!"

Morrison watched as the men ran towards the shuttle and spotted him.

"Private Zero!" he shouted over the commotion, stopping him in his tracks.

"Yes sir!" Quillion saluted as Morrison walks towards him.

"You are to remain here until further notice" he ordered.

Quillion stood in shock, unable to believe what he is hearing. The enemy is here! Why shouldn't he fight?

"But... But sir I..." he began.

"You are to remain here to guard the base" Morrison ordered.

Disbelief and frustration washed over Quillion's as his eyes darted between the shuttle and Morrison. Every fibre of his body has been itching for a battle ever since he arrived and now he is denied.

"Private! Stop daydreaming and get in here!" he heard his Sergeant calling from the shuttle, which Morrison shouted back.

"He is staying here, go!"

For a split second the Sergeant looked confused but quickly shook it off, closing the door.

"Wait where's Quil?" they heard Lena said in the coms.

"He ain't going, go!"

The shuttle took off almost immediately as another explosion sounded in the distance, pillars of flames formed as the Spanish Army clashed with the Null Sector.

Quillion shook in anger as the shuttle flies off towards the fight, looking at Morrison angrily who returned the stare.

"Why?" was all he could ask.

"I just sent everyone who knows how to fight over to a warzone and now you are our last line of defense, be grateful I did not throw you back into the barracks" Morrison replied flatly as he walked away.

"Report to the War Room immediately"

"Yes... Sir..." Quillion seethed, unclenching his fists.

* * *

*Bay of Algeciras*

"Attention everyone! We will be landing in 5 minutes, get ready!" Lena announced.

"Are you ready Brigitte?" Reinhardt shouted.

"As long as you can keep up with me old man!" she responded, causing him to laugh boisterously.

"Hold on!' Lena shouted as the shuttle lurched to the side, narrowly avoiding a missile.

"Papa are you alright?" Brigitte said when she saw his pale face.

"I'm fine... Just... I just feel a bit sick that's all" Torbjorn grunted.

"Landing!"

"Alright men! Let's finish this and go home!" a squad leader shouted.

Sounds of beams hitting the shuttle resounded loudly around them, causing some of the less experienced men to cast looks of concern.

"Don't worry boys" one of the mercenaries laughed "The plating is Torbjorn made, it will hold!"

Despite the encouragement, the intensifying rocking by each shot continue to worry them.

"Landing zone's hot! You all have 10 seconds to get out!"

The men readied their weapons and each said a silent prayer as the ramp opens.

"Go!"

Reinhardt and Brigitte charged out first, activating their shields, immediately receiving the incoming ammunitions shot at them by the Null Sector, who begun attacking their position. Followed closely behind are the mercenaries and ex-criminals, their weapons blazing and heaving grenades into their attackers.

The security team froze in place at the sight of their opponent. Hulking mechanics wielding heavy weaponry accompanied by a wide array of nimble Omnics that darted between the alleys or crawling over buildings is terrifying for the less experienced men.

"Get over here!" one of the mercenaries shouted as he emptied his magazine into an Obliterator before lobbing a grenade at it.

* * *

*Gibraltar: War Room*

"They have landed and have begun their search for survivors"

Quillion and Alex stood at the side as everyone watched each team advance to the highlighted zones, Reinhardt and Brigitte clearing the way with every swing of their weapons as Lena provided guidance from the air. As the shuttle flew around the city, they could see Torbjorn dropping turrets and armor packs.

"Good thing we aren't over there huh?" Alex whispered with a smile.

Quillion closed his eyes for a moment at those words, trying to get his emotions under check.

"I'd rather be there than here" he replied.

They watched silently at the squads braving through the firestorm, pulling and sometimes even dragging scared civilians out of the danger zones towards the park, that is now being protected by the bulk of the security team, who themselves are not out of the fight as the Null Sector divided their forces to attack them, though in smaller numbers.

A missile landed near a squad, knocking everyone off their feet and Reinhardt was with them immediately, his shield high as he stood firm against the hail of lasers as the men scramble for cover, activating their Biotic Fields.

Hours passed and barely any progress seem to have been made. Seriously undermanned for the task, the squads struggled to secure paths for the civilians as the Null Sector continue to press onto them.

Night came as the battle raged on, the Spanish army has been pushed back multiple times as they attempted again and again to force a breakthrough in the Null Sector lines. Though this gave Overwatch time to remain undetected as they rescue many civilians, they are slowly bogged down by superior firepower and numbers, despite constant drops of armor packs and turrets from the air.

"Commander, permission to go assist!" Quillion spoke up after Reinhardt's shield shatter for the 4th time, using his body as a literal shield again as Brigitte throws another armor pack towards him, reinforcing his damaged armor.

At first Morrison did not say anything, his eyes darting between each squad's helmet camera and Lena's shuttle, he could tell that they are at their breaking point and they desperately need reinforcements as they are now trapped in two different areas.

Formulating a plan, he gave his orders.

"Private Alex! Get tell the Hangar Crew to be ready for repairs!"

As the Private darts out of the room, Morrison spoke into the microphone.

"Lieutenant Oxton, get back here to refuel and rearm immediately, we will be sending reinforcements"

"About time!" she replied.

"Winston, Angela, meet me at the Hangar now" he said before ripping off the headset.

"Private Zero, follow me" he said as he walks out, to which Quillion followed with enthusiasm.

* * *

*Gibraltar: Watchpoint Hangar*

"Everyone is in trouble there, so your mission is to relieve them and resume the Rescue Op" Morrison briefed them as they watch Lena's shuttle come closer from the distance.

"Angela, most of the squads are pinned down at the parking lot and has been cut off from Brigitte's forces, break them out to regroup with the others" he ordered.

She nodded as she checks her Caduceus Staff.

"Winston, you will need to clear another path with Brigitte, I don't care what it takes, you must clear a way to reunite with Reinhardt and his men"

"Private Zero, you will disembark in a different location after Winston, I have already instructed the pilot where you will get off"

"Yes sir!" he replied with a salute, almost unable to contain the rising excitement. Finally, he will fight the Omnics again.

The shuttle finally arrived with a loud thud, so heavily damaged that Quillion thought it was quite a feat for any pilot to be able to fly it back.

"The ship's busted, permission to use mine?" Lena said as she and Torbjorn jumped out.

"Its is already ready with all the necessary resources" Morrison said, pointing to Lena's shuttle.

"You sure? Last time you forgotten the armor packs" Torbjorn said as he rushed over to check.

"I'm sure, go!"

"Lena, Pilot Lox will be flying, you are assigned to drop with Angela"

"Really?" she said with a familiar glitter in her eye.

"She will brief you, go"

They took off with a roar as Morrison walked back to the War Room, secretly praying that his plan would work.

* * *

*Bay of Algeciras*

"You seem like you're in a good mood" Lena said to Quillion who kept looking out the window.

"Better than Basics" he replied.

"Lena! We are about to jump!" Angela said.

"See ya in a bit!" Lena said with a wink before blinking towards Angela.

"Will do" he said.

The shuttle shuddered as it was peppered by the Null Sector.

"Alright, ladies first! Don't get yourselves killed out there!" Lox shouted in the coms.

Quillion watched in amazement as the doors swung open midflight and the two women walk towards it without any parachutes.

And jumped off...

"Are they going to be alright?" Quillion shouted to Lox.

"Yes" Winston laughed, thinking the question is for him, a reply that still makes Quillion shudder. He is still not used to an animal understanding language, let alone talk.

As if on cue, Tracer shouted "Cheers, love! Cavalry's here!", hyping Quillion up for his turn to fight.

The shuttle rocked again as a missile blew up next to them, Pilot Lox grunting as he struggled to keep them in the air.

"Go my babies! Go!" Torbjorn shouted as he threw turrets out to the battle below.

"Winston! We are over the drop zone!" Lox shouted.

Cracking his neck, Winston lumbered towards the door, his Tesla Cannon ready.

"Hold on there Winston, armor up!" Torbjorn said, slapping a strange device on top of Winston's armor. Quillion looked in amazement as the device snaked a layer of metal around the existing armor.

"Thank you Torbjorn, see you back at base" Winston said before leaping off the shuttle with a roar.

"Pilot! Just so you know I can't jump off a plane like they can!" Quillion reminded, causing the other two to laugh.

"Don't worry, I will be landing for your designated zone!"

The shuttle lurched to one side as Lox spun it around at high speed, sending some crates crashing to one side.

"Careful! I may make them look expendable but these are precious hardware!" Tobjorn shouted as he continues to throw his turrets and armor packs out to the squads below.

"I'm sorry but if you haven't noticed, the sky is literally exploding!" Lox shouted as he avoided another missile shot at them.

"And I already told you all, my platings can withstand whatever those scrap metals can throw at us!"

"I do not plan to put that to the test! Hang on to something!"

They lurched upwards straight into the sky, sending more crates crashing to the back of the shuttle.

"My babies!" Torbjorn cried out "I swear Lox when we get back, I'm going to kill ya!"

"Just shut up and let me fly!"

Suddenly a small explosion erupted from the left engine, causing the shuttle to bank heavily towards the left.

"That's impossible, no Null Sector scrap metal can penetrate my armor!" Torbjorn shouted.

"It is not them! One of our engines just blew up!" Lox shouted as he struggled to keep them in the air, flipping switches rapidly.

"That's even more impossible! I personally trained the crew!"

"Apparently one of them made a mistake ya Scottish moron!"

"For the last time! I'm Swedish!"

"Can you just get us out of here?!" Quillion shouted as another missile blew up next to them.


	20. Chp 20 - Invasion of Spain 3

*Marbella: Temporary Talon Forward Camp*

After months of preparation, the time has finally come. Each trooper here has been trained extensively for scouting and jungle warfare after a tip off from a spy, a tip off that suggests that Watchpoint is located "on a hill overlooking an ocean or a lot of water".

It took them months to triangulate the most probable locations, Paris, Brazil, Canada, and now Spain.

12 Troopers sat around the fire, each mentally preparing themselves for their upcoming mission, their masks reflecting the dance of the fire before them as they listen to the battle raging in the distance, lasting until the night.

The first part of the plan has already begun. The Null Sector will attack the nearby city of Algeciras, which should force Overwatch to commit most, if not all of its fighting forces to fight.

The second part is simple. Once the spy informs them that the most dangerous individuals have left the base and provides a signal, they will search and destroy the Overwatch base. No prisoners.

An Enforcer came out of the tent, known only as "the Owl", a Talon veteran famed through the ranks. Though he has a good record, it is mostly because of the squad's achievements rather than his own, preferring to stay in the back and order his men than be part of the action.

However, if the situation demands it or if his squads are in danger, he will appear onto the battlefield at the most unexpected locations, normally where the enemy is at its weakest and he will strike hard. It was this shock and awe tactics that earned him the title Owl.

But what added to his notoriety is that as each Enforcer is approved by some of Talon's most talented leaders, he was personally tested and approved by Reaper himself.

"We are cleared to go" he said, walking to the truck, the troopers following close behind.

* * *

*Bay of Algeciras*

"All civilians have been cleared in Block A and D!" a squad leader yelled to Reinhardt, who is being treated by Mercy.

"Good! Let's move to the next one!" he said as he tried to stand, but fell backwards, his exhaustion finally caught up to him.

"I said rest for a moment" scolded Mercy as she continues to heal him, causing him to grunt in annoyance.

"I'm not as young as I used to be" the Crusader admitted as he looks at the healing stream from her staff.

"Reinhardt, don't you think it's time to hang it up? You aren't getting any younger" she said.

"Never! I will fight to my last breath" he said as he picks up his hammer as he feels his strength restored.

Mercy smiled, though she feels slightly annoyed that he continues to fight at his age, she could not help but feel inspired by his courage.

"The perimeter is breaking!" a solider shouted as they provide covering fire for their retreating troops.

Reinhardt and Mercy looked at each other and she gave him a nod as she twists her Staff counter-clockwise.

"Valkyrie is ready, I'll be right behind you" she promised.

With a huge laugh, Reinhardt put on his helmet.

"YES! Don't worry my friends, I will be your shield! Engage!" he roared as he charged into battle, Mercy flying close behind.

The sight of a shining angel flying in the night sky above their fearless Captain reinvigorated the men. Shouting their own war cries and encouragements to one another, the soldiers joined the two heroes back into the fray, destroying scores of Null Sector troops within seconds.

"Humph, they know how to put on a show" Brigitte said from the other side of the block within the safety of Winston's Barrier Projection, watching Reinhardt slammed his hammer down, throwing anything caught in its shockwave to the ground.

"It is a bit dramatic but it cleared the way for the civilians" he pointed out as he pulls the last few civilians out of a bus.

"Well, let's not keep them waiting, one more building to go!" she shouted "Alla till mig!"

Winston chuckled as he watch her lead the charge, her troops following close behind. She has grown so much under Reinhardt's tutorship.

"Quien eres? (Who are you?)" he heard a soft voice say behind him.

He looked down and saw a little boy who stopped running and staring at him.

"Don't worry little one, we are here to help" he said, smiling as he motions the awestruck child to keep running.

"That's everyone in this building" Lena said as she blinks next to him.

"Good, just one more building then we are done"

"Right" Lena panted, leaning against the wall with one hand, fatigue written all over her face.

"Lena, we are nearly done here, you can go to the rally point and rest" Winston said.

"No no... Just... Need to catch my breath, that's all..."

Winston looked at her concerningly, she barely had enough rest from her recent missions and here she is well pass her limits again.

"Lena..."

"No..." she snapped, looking at him with anger before quickly masking it with a smile "Don't worry about me big guy... I can do this"

Before Winston could reply, she fixed her gloves and looked around.

"No point standing around, let's complete the mission!" she said as she blinks away, joining Brigitte's squad.

Picking up his Barrier Projector and ensuring his Tesla Cannon is fully charged, he leap after her.

"Winston, status?" Morrison asked through the coms.

"We are at the final objective" Winston said as he landed in the middle of a squad of Nullifiers, destroying dozens within seconds with shocking efficiency.

"Good, the Spanish Army has made a breakthrough from the North, everyone has 30 more minutes to extract"

"Got it" Winston replied as he threw a car into an Eradicator before regrouping with Lena and the others "Where is our air support?"

"He is taking a detour"

* * *

*Marbella: Airspace*

"Whoa whoa whoa! We are going way off course!" Quillion said as the shuttle flew away from Algeciras.

"Sorry son, I was told to drop you off somewhere else" Lox said as the flight became smoother.

"Are we going for repairs?" Torbjorn asks, eyeing the smoking engine.

"No, the damage is minimal so we will go after we drop the Private off in Marbella" Lox said.

"Torbjorn do you know anything about this?" Quillion asked angrily, to which the man shook his head, just as confused.

"Quillion, your mission is not in Algeciras" they heard Morrison say in their coms.

His anger flared but Quillion took a few deep breaths to calm himself down, most likely he is sent out to perform other missions. Is he cutting this Null Sector's supply line? Destroy a repair factory? Delay enemy reinforcements?

"As you know" Morrison continued "Every able bodied persons are deployed to Algeciras and I am needed in the War Room. One of our mainland cameras have caught a Talon squad scouting through a forest, we suspect they are looking for Watchpoint. You are to eliminate them"

"Watchpoint is literally in a rock in the middle of the ocean, they are all the way in the mainland, why should we even bother?" Quillion asked.

"You're supposed to be smart Private, think"

Annoyed, Quillion thought about it for a moment.

"Common, even I figured out why he is sending you over" Torbjorn said.

"Once I eliminate the enemy, Talon will be convinced that we have a base there?" Quillion said finally.

"That would be the gist of it yes" Morrison said.

"How did they conclude to find the base here in the first place? And why now? They must have some sort of lead" Torbjorn asked.

"I have a theory, but it requires the elimination of the enemy team, got it Private?"

"Yes sir" Quillion said halfheartedly.

"Torbjorn, pass him a tablet for his mission details" Morrison said.

Handing over a tablet, the screen came alive with surprisingly specific information.

He will be facing a 13 man squad whose leader is called an Owl. Weapon details and probable paths they would take is listed out in different colors, but what caught Quillion's eyes is how they are to be eliminated.

"You want me to do this?" he asked in surprise.

"Yes" the Commander said simply "Do it within the timeframe, but remember, do not underestimate their leader, he is a dangerous individual"

"Sir, what is 'Battle Rage' and why can't I use it? Is it a codename for backup?"

"No, it is for what you call 'adrenaline rush', it needs a name after all and no you should not use it due to your side effects"

And with that he disconnected, leaving Quillion with his mission.

"This is stupid... I should be fighting Omnics, not some stupid squad in a forest..."

"Hey, for him to give you this mission is already a huge leap of faith from Jack" Torbjorn said, handing over an armor disc "Come get your armor"

"Yeah... Too big of a leap... I should be grateful then" Quillion agreed as he gave a nod of thanks and hit the disk over his flak jacket and watch the extra layer of protection coil around him.

"Landing in 2 minutes!" Lox said as they felt the shuttle dropping lower.

"Well good luck Private, you need anything else?" Torbjorn ask as he checks if the harness of the armor is secure.

"Think you can loan me... A turret, another armor and some cash?" Quillion asked as he look at the tablet.

* * *

*Marbella: Nearby Forest*

In the cover of night, the Talon Troopers tread carefully and quickly through the jungle. Despite wearing minimum armor and crossing a sizeable chunk of the forest, they are still behind schedule. Hidden pits, strong river currents and a canyon has been unavoidable obstacles, perfect for a hidden base.

However, hours of randomly scouring the area for any hint of their objective began agitating the men but they were kept in check under the watchful eye of the Owl.

"You are getting sloppy, pick up your feet!" he said as one Trooper slipped slightly.

"Sorry sir"

"If your apologies get us killed, I swear you'll be begging for Hell when I'm done with you" the Owl said.

Out of nowhere they heard it. An unnatural hum pierce through the night and a gust of wind blew through them. They looked up just in time to see a battered shuttle leaving the area and judging from its trajectory, it is flying directly towards Algercias.

But most importantly, the left engine has a sizable hole on its side.

The Troopers almost cheered, they know for a fact that no army or medical camps have been set up in the area and the saw the smoking marker.

This means they are close.

Without saying a word, the Owl took off in a full sprint, his men quickly follow suit to catch up.

It was not long before they reached a clearing where the Owl skidded to a stop, motioning them to take a prone position before dropping to the floor himself.

"Anton, be our eyes" he said, followed by the sounds of a trooper quickly climbing up a tree.

"What do you see?"

"I... I think I see where it landed... Yes... There are markings on the grass" Anton said quietly.

"Any guards?"

"No sir, all clear"

"Alright, stay there, the rest, follow me"

Scanning the surrounding trees carefully for any reflections that could be a potential camera or screen before making their move, they make their way to the tracks, moving as quickly and and low as possible as there is no cover.

It wasn't long before they found the much-needed results.

"There are tracks here, leading to the West" a trooper said.

"There are some here too, leading South"

"Sir, I see someone coming from the South" Anton warned.

Immediately they hid themselves the best they could on the ground just before someone come into view of the clearing.

"Si... Si... Todo esta claro (Yes... Yes... Everything is clear)" the man said, talking on the phone as he looked around the clearing.

"Si... Te dije que no hay naide aqui (Yes... I told you there is no one here)" the man continued.

"Anton... Shoot him in the chest" the Owl whispered.

"With pleasure sir"

"Volviendo aho- (Going ba-)" the man was cut off mid-sentence as the silent bullet struck his chest violently, sending him sprawling onto the ground.

Before he knew what hit him, a rough hand dragged him to the squad.

"This is what is going to happen" the Owl growled "You are going to lead us to your base and you are going to do it now"

"Que? Moi no abla ingles! Moir no abla ingles! (What? I do not speak English! I do not speak English!)" the man whimpered, still clutching to his chest.

A fist came crashing down to his face, whipping his head to the side.

"Look, I love playing the 'I do not speak this language game', but you know what I hate? I hate bad players, especially those who pretend to speak Spanish" he said, pulling out a knife.

"Senior! Moi no abla ingles! (Mr! I do not speak English!)" the man continued crying as he quickly pulled out a fistful of money "Por favor, tomalo! Por favor! (Please take it! Please!)"

"Enough!" the Owl said, pulling the man's head back by his hair, he place the cold blade near an eye "You have 3 seconds. 3. 2..."

"Okay! Okay! Stop!" the man finally cried out, his act completely broken.

"That's better..." the Owl said, satisfied as he pulled the knife away "Now you are going to lead us to the base or we will cut you up and find it ourselves"

"What base? I'm just a local farmer" the man said frantically.

"Really now? Rip his shirt off"

"Wait no!"

But it was too late, the shirt now torn revealed a body armor.

"What kind of farmer walks around with a body armor that could stop a high caliber round?"

The man's eyes went wide with surprise.

"I didn't know what it is! The guy who paid me told me to wear it and speak Spanish to him on the phone and give it back to him later! I didn't know it has anything to do with you guys!"

"Who is this man?"

"I didn't ask! He just showed up in a bar and asked if anyone would be interested to do this for money! B-but he said he will meet me again in a shack nearby!"

"Show me" the Owl said, pulling out a map.

The man frantically looked at the map and finally after a few minutes...

"Here! He said he will be waiting here!" he said as he pointed at a point on the map just a kilometer away.

"This shack... Is it facing the ocean?" the Owl asked.

"Yes, recently there has been some activities there but nothing significant!"

"Anton, Mac, and Hardy, stay here and guard him. If we do not find anyone in that shack. Kill him. The rest, follow me"


	21. Chp 21 - Invasion of Spain 4

*Bay of Algeciras*

"That's everyone!" Brigitte said as she exited the building, Lena following close behind.

"Excellent! Well done girls! Let's get outta here!" Reinhardt shouted as he squashed a Skirmisher class Omnic with his hammer.

"Right! I'll scout ahead!" Lena said.

"Tracer, wait! Your vitals are-" Angela tried to shout but Lena has already blinked away.

"What's wrong Mercy?" Winston asked.

"Her fatigue levels are spiking" she said concerningly.

"Common Tracer... You can do this" Lena said to herself as she threw a Pulse Bomb into the middle of a group of Nullifiers, destroying them in one swoop.

Blinking rapidly, she singlehandedly cleared multiple alleyways and roads. It was not long before her Chronal Accelerator ran out of power.

"Not now!" she groaned before taking refuge in a building.

Climbing onto the roof, she took an assessment of the surrounding area.

Null Sector has committed most of their forces to battle the Spanish Army, who are steadily gaining ground ever since they made their breakthrough. The Bahia Park is now mostly ignored as the Null Sector began concentrating their forces to the front for their final stand and the best landing zone is what looked like a ruined shopping mall next to the park.

"That's good" she thought to herself "We can regroup with everyone at the park"

The sense of relief came a sudden wave of exhaustion. Staggering she dropped onto the floor, her eyelids heavy.

"No... Not yet... The mission is not complete..." she begged to herself, desperately fighting the fatigue, but even lifting her eyelids took an enormous effort.

"Stupid... Keep... Moving..." she yawned, trying to get back on her feet. But the floor is so comfortable...

"Lieutenant Oxton!" she heard Morrison's voice shouting in her ear.

But she is too tired to respond.

"Lena! Get up!" he shouted again, but now sounded like a distant echo. She will respond after a short nap.

"Quillion needs your help!" he continued.

At these words, she jolted awake.

"Where?" she asked, it's too early for him to die now, especially after what she had to go through to get him here.

In fact, now that she thought about it, she had not seen him throughout the battle.

"Get back to the shuttle, tell everyone to extract next to Bahia Park"

"Got it!" Lena said as she signals the rest with a shout, who have been following her trail of destroyed Omnics.

*Marbella: Nearby Forest*

It wasn't hard to find the shack. In fact, it is too easy.

The shack is located on a small patch of rock in the middle of a roaring river, where the water exited directly off the cliff side into the ocean. Connected to the shack is a small wooden bridge that seemed to be built recently.

"Anton, we found the shack, standby for kill order" the Owl said.

"Yes sir"

He does not like this. The currents are too strong for any attempts to swim through and their only way to the shack is through the narrow bridge.

"Three of you follow me, the rest, wait for my signal"

Switching their weapons to their close quarter variants, they crossed the bridge carefully as the rest of the squad scanned the horizons for any possible ambush.

The bridge swayed back and forth with each step, the panels slippery and moudly, making the progress slow. It is the perfect ambush scenario.

However, they crossed without any obstacles. No guards, no cameras, nothing but the shack.

Opening the door carefully, it creaked open.

"About time you come back, did you do what I paid you to do?" they heard a voice said.

They immediately kicked the door open and scanned the room with their guns in perfect sync, looking for targets.

The shack is small and empty with only a hooded man sitting behind a table next to the window, using the moonlight as the only light source for a book that he seem to be reading.

"What happened to Matthew?" the hooded man asked, seemingly unconcern about their entrance or their presence.

"I will be asking the questions here" the Owl said as he walked forward, his weapon aimed directly at the hooded man.

"That will be close enough, unless you all want to die right here, right now" the man said as a turret activates on his right, pointing directly at the squad.

The Owl stopped and stared at the turret for a moment and realize it is extremely familiar.

"You are with Overwatch" he said.

"Hmm... You are familiar with the turret's design?" the man inquired.

"Yes, there is only one man in the world who makes turrets like that"

"Then you'd know this thing can kill you all in an instant. Who are you?"

"Owl, yourself?"

"You can call me Tim" the hooded man answered.

"Alright Tim, this is what is going to happen, first I am going to destroy that turret, then I am going to torture you. Then I will destroy Overwatch tonight"

Tim laughed.

"What makes you think you can do all that tonight?"

"Rule 1 of many secret organizations: Always hide in plain sight, and you my friend... Are hiding in plain sight"

The roaring river seemed to have become louder as Tim did not speak and the other Troopers began to slowly surround him.

"Tell me one thing before we dance... What makes you think that our HQ is here?"

The Owl smiled in triumph.

"I didn't"

They heard a clicking sound next to Tim and the turret fired.

Heavy caliber rounds spat at the surrounding Troopers as Tim remained seated, watching them scramble for cover.

Two Troopers were killed almost immediately, one did not have time to react while another brave Trooper shot a full slug from his shotgun at the cost of his life, but the round bounced harmlessly off the turret.

"Armor piercing! Above floor level, now!" the Owl shouted into his radio as he dove to the ground.

But no one fired as the message is disrupted by the currents around them as turret continue to pour bullets towards his direction.

Cursing to himself, he pulled out a glow stick, cracked it, and threw it out the window, risking his arm in the process as the turret continues to shoot at their general direction.

Immediately the shack is shredded with deadly firepower from the Troopers outside. Tim did not even know what hit him. The Owl watched in satisfaction as the hooded man was shot by multiple rounds before falling to the ground as the turret, now destroyed, clicked harmlessly at them.

Throwing out another glow stick, the gunfire immediately stopped.

The Enforcer and a surviving Trooper stood up, pushing off the top half of the shack that has fallen on top of them, the moonlight shining down upon them.

To their surprise, Tim is still alive, though coughing and unmoving.

Kicking him to the side, they realized he felt... Hard.

"That's some fancy armor you got there" the Owl said as he noticed a glitter underneath the robe.

"Before you die, tell me, where is the main door?" he continued as he points a gun at Tim's head.

Tim chuckled between his coughs.

"Even if I told you, you won't be able to open it without cutting the power from the inside..."

"Thank you" the Owl said as he pulled the trigger, blood flew out from the hood and pooled on the floor.

Satisfied, the Owl regroup with the men on the side of the river before switching to a secure channel.

"We found it, permission to engage"

After listening for a few moments, he switched to a different channel.

"We are clear, cut the power"

*Gibraltar: Watchpoint*

Satisfied that the Search and Rescue op is nearly complete, Morrison sat down for the first time since the Operation began, the staff all completing their reports for his review.

"Private Alex, tell the crew to prepare for their return" he ordered.

"Yes sir!" the Private said as he took off.

Watching them extract from the field, he could not help but feel a sense of pride in his soldiers. From hours of fighting they have suffered no casualties (mainly thanks to Angela), suffering only a few scratches and bruises.

After a short rest, he walked over to a cabinet and collected his visor hanging on the side of the door and put it on.

Winston's words have had some form of effect on him, especially after watching the performance of every man who gave it their all in this battle. They have fought and bled for him not because of his ruthless leadership or discipline, it is not for reward either as they receive insulting pay. Rather it is for what they believed what Overwatch could become for the world.

He is here to lead professionals, not gangsters. They came here to make the world a better place and they look to him to lead them back towards that goal. Each one who followed his orders at the risk of their own lives is because they know that he could carve their dreams into existence. A dream of a better world.

"Colonel Smith, if they call back, tell them I will be interrogating a prisoner"

The Colonel looked surprised but acknowledged the order as he wrote it down in his notebook.

"And if they ask where is Private Quillion, tell them Lox will take them to him"

Grabbing his Pulse Rifle, he primed it for battle as he exited the room.

Now is the time where he needs to secure the bonds and protect them whenever he could. They fought and bled for him. Now it is time for him to return the favor.

Changing his walk to a sprint, he ran towards the Generator Room.

The moment he is outside, the power cuts off.

*Marbella: Nearby Forest*

"The power has been cut, it's time to move in" the Owl called out "Anton, kill that Matthew and bring the rest over now"

His response is the sound of several gunshots.

"Bit of an overkill there" one of the Troopers said, to which Anton merely grunted in reply.

"Meet up at the shack, we will formulate a plan there, less chance for anyone to intercept our channel"

Ordering the rest to scout the area for possible entrances, the Owl went back to the shack to inspect Tim closer. He could potentially hold some kind of key card which they could use.

Looking around the destroyed shack, he pondered why there aren't any cameras or other defenses besides a turret. Even the most arrogant organization would install something as a counter measure.

What struck him the most is the strange fruity smell in the air, it bothered him as he knew that smell but he could not put a finger on it.

Turning Tim's body over, he began patting down the pockets, there he found something that turned his blood cold. He pulled out a small speaker.

"What the..."

Tim's body is nothing more than a scarecrow wearing body armor and the 'head' that he shot was a watermelon.

"Sounds like you found out, I was hoping you'd give me more time" Tim's voice spoke out of the speaker.

"All units! Regroup!" the Owl said into his coms as he quickly scanned his surroundings. No one gave a reply.

"Anton, report! Mac, report!"

All he heard was static and the roaring river.

* * *

For an insight how I picture the location of the shack, the reader may refer to YouTube or Google Image and search for the following:

1\. Sørvágsvatn Lake and Bøsdalafossur Waterfall in the Faroe Islands - Aerial Tour


	22. Chp 22 - Invasion of Spain 5

*Gibraltar: Generator Room*

Morrison opened the door silently as he entered the dark room, his visors automatically providing him with infra-red vision. The darkness reminded him of his time stalking gangsters back in Dorado.

"The power has been cut, copy that? The power has been cut" he heard a familiar voice repeating desperately into what he assumes is a communication device.

Peeking around the corner and he saw him continuing to flip random switches.

"If you can hear me, all powers have been cut, hurry up! The main force is returning!"

Morrison walked forward and, with no warning, grabbed the man's head by the hair and slammed it against the wall.

Groaning in pain, he held out a hand in a sign of surrender, but Morrison grabbed it and broke a finger, causing him to cry out in pain.

"Wh-Who are you? Stop!" the man cried, unable to see in the dark.

"Do you have any idea how long it took for me to be sure you are the mole?" Morrison growled.

"C-commander! I can explain!" Alex begged but Morrison is not having any of it.

As he prepared to throw another punch, Alex managed to grapple him, twisting his body to one side in an attempt to wrestle him to the ground.

But Alex is too slow for the enhanced soldier, combined with the fact he had to fight in pitch black, he was no match for the veteran, who easily used the momentum to smash his opponent to the wall, who, to his credit, maintained his grip.

"You are the reason why the Null Sector attacked Algeciras aren't you? You kept seeping out our probable locations to Talon"

Slamming his elbow into Alex's head, he felt his legs weaken immediately. Grabbing Alex's shirt, he threw him effortlessly across the room.

"The moment you came along, they attacked Paris, then they attacked Spain, skipping an entire continent, then one of our shuttle engines blew up without so much as a pebble hitting it. I know how the Null Sector operates and you think I wouldn't figure out we have a mole?"

Alex quickly stood up, unwilling to give up the fight.

"Overwatch is done for! Talon will bring you all down!" he screamed into the darkness.

"As long as I am standing... Talon will never prevail" Morrison growled.

Alex began throwing punches wildly at the direction where Morrison spoke, desperate to land a hit. Morrison took note that the young man's techniques are good but inexperienced.

"Fight me fairly you coward! No wonder Overwatch failed! It is led by cowards!" he shouted as he attacked blindly, hitting nothing but air.

Stepping back, Morrison aimed his rifle and shot Alex in the foot, who fell back onto the floor with a cry.

"He knows! He knows! Save me!" he heard Alex gasped desperately.

"No one is coming for you boy" Morrison said as he calmly flips on all switches, restoring power back to the base.

"No!" Alex shouted as he tried to stop him, an action which Morrison responded by calmly kicking him back to the ground.

"They know where you are now... They will come for me..." he panted as he tries to squint through the sudden blaze of light.

"No one. Is coming" Morrison said, his face now close to Alex's, forcing him to look at himself in fear in the red visor.

"Where is Talon?" Morrison said as he grabbed another finger.

"I'll never tell you!" Alex shouted in defiance.

A crack is heard and the man screamed in pain.

"I'm going to ask you 8 more times..." he repeated, grabbing another.

* * *

*Marbella: Nearby Forest*

Dropping the speaker and making his way quickly to the other side of the bridge, the Owl tried again.

"Regroup at my position!"

"No one is coming for you" Tim said in a sing song voice, now through the coms.

"How did you get this channel?"

"Look to your left"

Spinning to his left, he fired his rifle randomly towards that direction.

"That's not very nice, I think you may have hit your friends" Tim taunted.

It was then he noticed it.

Shining in the moonlight, 10 helmets are lined up neatly on the ground, each with a bullet through the facemasks. He also noticed that there is a space in the middle.

"That space is for you, goodbye Owl" Tim said.

"Wait!"

He shut his eyes, knowing his plea will go unnoticed as he waits for the inevitable shot.

But to his surprise, it did not come.

"Hurry up now, I don't think I can stay here too long" Tim said.

If he accepted the plea then he would...

"Anyone can pull the trigger, but now you'd never know if you can beat me in hand to hand combat" he challenged.

"Why in the world would I want to do that?" Tim inquired.

"Because you are clearly talented, why not put it to the test?"

A moment passed before the Owl heard Tim speak again, this time directly behind him.

"Throw your weapon into the river" he said.

The Owl turned around and he finally laid his eyes at Tim.

"You!" he shouted as he realized it is Matthew, the farmer they caught.

"Weapon. River. Now" he said.

He complied, his weapon disappeared in the roaring tide.

"Still think I'm a bad player?" Tim said with a smile.

"Your Spanish is still horrible" the Owl said with fury in his voice "You will pay for what you've done to my squad"

Throwing his rifle aside, Tim took a fighting stance "Well common then, let's dance"

"Before we start, tell me then, where is the entrance?"

Tim laughed at the question "Why in the world would I tell you?"

"You doubt that you will be able to defeat me?"

Tim shifted his pose slightly at the challenge, he has been deprived from a fight for so long that he needs one good one, the thrill of a fight that he could satiate, the thrill of risking everything on the line and still come out victorious. Everyone told him that this man in front of him is a dangerous foe, what better fight could he ask for now but to prove to them that he is better?

"How about this" he continued, throwing his pack behind him "That is my communicator, so even if you tell me where the base is, I will not be able to report back until I get my pack, but that should not be a problem for someone of your abilities I assume?"

Tim is almost salivating at the challenge. He has no reason to comply, no reason at all. A small voice at the back of his mind begged him to keep his mouth shut, to play it safe.

But the thrill is intoxicating.

"Fine... The HQ is 50 miles down South on a mountain, happy?"

In a blink of an eye, the Enforcer covered the distance between them and threw a kick that Tim could barely block in time.

Tim tried to counter with a jab but it was promptly blocked, resulting to an elbow to the face.

Dazed, he could only block the Enforcer's increasingly powerful attacks. Soon he found himself against a tree as the Owl tears into his defenses.

"Well... This is a problem" Quillion thought to himself as another fist broke through and landed into his gut.

* * *

*Bay of Algeciras*

Waiting until the last possible moment before they extract, the vigilantes made sure that the Spanish Army was able to reach the civilians gathered at the park before flying away.

"Wait wait! Where's Quillion?" Lena shouted as the ramps close.

"Any word from base?" Winston asked.

"This is Colonel Smith, Commander Morrison is currently interrogating a prisoner"

Everyone looked at each other in surprise, the Commander is personally interrogating someone?

"Lena said that Jack told her Quillion is in trouble, where is he?" Winston continued.

"The Commander said Lox will take you to him" the Colonel said.

* * *

*Marbella: Nearby Forest*

Unable to block the attack, Quillion took another full brunt of a kick, this time causing him to spit blood.

"You're a good fighter, but you lack experience" the Owl said as he threw another punch, causing Quillion's head to snap backwards.

Quillion mixed up his attacks, trying to confuse his opponent, feigning with a boxer's right, he threw a hook kick. However, the Owl saw through the feign, though he was too slow to stop or avoid it, he willingly took the hit while bulldozing forward with his shoulder, knocking Quillion to the ground.

"Common, get up, I'm not done with you yet" the Owl said.

Quillion took a moment before he lashed out with his leg, trying to sweep across his opponent's.

But even that was predicted, as the Enforcer simply raised his leg, landing his own kick across Quillion's face, knocking out a few teeth.

"By the looks of it, you only know how to shoot and nothing else" he said.

"You younger boys are always the same" he continued, grabbing Quillion and threw him against the tree, a noticeable 'crack' sounded from the impact "Always throwing away your advantage to prove nonsense to yourself. To your pride"

Quillion fought back but was cleanly and almost effortlessly repelled.

"What are you some sort of relic? These moves belong to a museum! All show, no bite" his opponent laughed.

In anger, Quillion threw an uppercut that somehow slipped past the Enforcer's defenses, sending his head upwards and stunning him for a moment.

Taking full advantage of this opening Quillion took a deep breath as he activates his 'Battle Rage'.

2 Seconds. Only 2 seconds.

Feeling his pain fading away as the adrenaline filled his body, he attacked.

*First Second*

Aiming for all vital points, Quillion threw as many jabs and kicks with all the strength he could muster against the frozen Enforcer, each strike driven by rage, desperate to end the fight quickly. Neck, chest, groin, legs, his attacks rain relentlessly towards the helpless victim.

*Second Second*

He was about to throw another punch when he realize that his hands are all bloodied and the bones have begun poking out of his hand. He knows for a fact that he will have to endure tremendous pain so he stopped. Surely no one alive could survive such a beating, even if he did, he would be too broken to continue.

Quillion decided to stop and prepare himself for the upcoming pain.

*Third Second*

As the adrenaline passes, the pain came furiously, causing him to kneel to the floor as he gritted his teeth, tears poured out of his eyes as the pain consumed him. Then came the vertigo, spinning his world.

The Owl staggered back, blood poured out from his mouth as the results of hundreds of instantaneous hits registered across his body. Quillion watched from the floor as his opponent falls forward to the ground, his body landing with a heavy thud.

He had done it! Quillion smiled as he took the moment to revel in his victory. The Owl may have been dangerous, but he is the victor.

Slowly standing up, Quillion was careful not to move his head as he made his way to his rifle and the communicator. He needs to call Lox to get back to base now, the building pain is becoming unbearable.

"What... Was that" he heard someone said behind him.

He stopped in his tracks.

"No way... He could not have..." he thought to himself as he turned around.

The Owl has already gotten back up to his feet and walking towards him.

"Those were quite some moves kid, I respect that"

His rifle is too far away, all he could do is take a defensive stance, but it was impossible as his vertigo continue to plague him.

The Owl took a deep breath before swooping down onto his prey once more, who tried to put up a resistance but was only delaying the inevitable. Lacking strength, focus and even balance, he is nothing more than a punching bag.

It only took a few seconds before Quillion found himself on the ground again.

Unable to muster the strength to do anything else, Quillion could only grab onto the Enforcer's leg as he slowly make his way to his pack, stopping him in his tracks.

"Tell me kid, seems to be a pity for you to die here. Tell me, how would you like to join Talon?" his opponent said, almost kindly.

"No..."

"Think about it, soon only the strong will survive in this world and we have means to make you strong, with your talents and proper training, we could even make you an Enforcer like me"

"No..."

Scoffing, the Owl kicked his hand away and continue to walk towards his pack. Finally, Overwatch will be destroyed.

With enormous effort, Quillion crawled forcefully at the Owl, this time grappling his legs, toppling him to the ground, which angered him.

"See ya on the other side Tim, die knowing you have failed Overwatch and your friends" the Owl said as he shook Quillion off and reached into his pack.


	23. Chp 23 - Invasion of Spain - End

*Marbella Air Space*

Lena paced impatiently as the shuttle speeds towards Marbella, an action that has not gone unnoticed by the rest.

"She seems a bit more agitated than usual" Brigitte whispered to Winston as they watch.

"Yes... I fear that she has grown somewhat attached to Quillion"

Brigitte cock her head to one side in confusion.

"I thought she's into girls?"

"Maybe I misspoke, I mean she has formed a strong friendship with him"

He had read a few books about the topic of love and discussed it with many different points of view and he concluded that he and Omnics do not, and could not fully understand the human concept of love. In fact, he doubts that even the humans fully understand what it is either.

"How much longer Lox?" Lena asked.

"We are nearly there, I'll let you know when we are over the drop zone"

"Lena, you need to rest, we can handle this" Angela said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"No, I brought him here, I should be responsible for his well being"

"He knew what he signed up for, you are not his caretaker"

Lena said nothing. There was no need to. They wouldn't understand.

"Excuse me, Mercy? We need you with the wounded" one of the squad leader said, his arm held by a sling.

She gave Lena a soft squeeze before leaving.

"Did someone call a doctor?" they heard her say as she enters the Medical Room.

"What's on your mind Lena?" this time Reinhardt came to stand next to her.

"Nothing. Just the mission"

"Don't worry about him, from what I've heard he is pretty tough, he should be fine" he said encouragingly.

"I hope so..."

"He will be fine" a voice called out.

They looked behind them and recognize it is Quillion's Drill Sergeant.

"Private Zero is one of the toughest and talented man I've ever trained, no Talon soldier will get the better of him" he said confidently.

Lena tried to take heart from their encouragements but she still could not shake off the feeling that something has gone wrong.

* * *

*Marbella: Nearby Forest*

"See ya on the other side Tim, die knowing you have failed Overwatch and your friends"

"No!" Quillion shouted desperately as he crawled to the Owl, whose hand reached into the pack.

"Still some fight in you I see? Very well... I got some time"

Picking Quillion up like a ragdoll he forced him against a tree, a hand around his throat. Qullion began blacking out as the fingers cut off the blood circulation to his brain.

"I never liked killing people on their backs" he heard the Owl said as he felt another punch to his ribs "I am going to enjoy this"

Friends...

It was then he remembered Jampang and his squad.

He remembered the time they mourned for the many soldiers who volunteered and died for the Soldier Enhancement Trials.

He remembered how they charged into the fires of the battlefield, screaming as they led the vanguard.

The next memory showed how they gathered in each of their houses, eating and laughing as they shared heroic stories of their accomplishments, how they made fun of Quillion who seemed to always been at the back of the fighting instead of the front after that one time he rescued civilians by leaping across the skyscraper to another.

There they were, shopping with their families as they tease when will he and Ahmad ever start a family of their own.

Those were happy times.

Then the Null Sector came and burn it all away, his friends dying one by one as he alone survived. Finally the memories stopped stopped with Jampang's last words to him.

They must pay.

And he always keeps his promises.

Unable to reactivate his Battle Rage and exhausted all his strategies, he gave into the last numbing thing he knew how to do. Give into his blood rage.

With animalistic rage he surprised his opponent with a sudden display of savagery, completely forgoing a defensive stance, Quillion lashed out with berserker fury, narrowing his entire focus on balance and strength, using the tree as his backbone. His entire body became a weapon, nothing was out of the option for attacking, if his hair was longer, he would've used it to garrote his opponent.

The Owl was stunned, he was not expecting such a retaliation, but he quickly recovered. Matching the punches with his own, both men soon find themselves in an intense contest of endurance, one relying on precise hits and experience while the other relied on his reckless youth and pride.

After what seemed like hours, Quillion felt his opponent's strikes weaken as his unpredictable attacks slipped through the defenses while he was able to shake off the pain he received in turn. Encouraged by this, his attacks become wilder, more feral and he poured the last reserves of his strength into the attack.

Slowly, ever so slowly he is gaining ground, his punches began pushing the Enforcer back through sheer willpower, and despite his injuries, he is winning.

But it was all a ruse.

The Owl successfully lured the desperate man into a sense of confidence before shattering it with a powerful jab to the chest, knocking all the wind out of Quillion. As he doubled forward in pain, the Enforcer grabbed his head and smashed it straight into his knee, breaking his nose and cracking his skull instantly.

The damage was too much for Quillion as he sank to his knees, utterly, and finally, defeated.

"You have spirit I'll give you that..." the Owl panted, exhausted from the fight.

It has been a while since he has been pushed so hard in close combat, without the genetic and cybernetic augmentations he would have lost this fight many times over.

"With more experience you would be a truly dangerous foe... And we can't have that"

Pulling out his knife, he pressed the tip against Quillion's throat.

"Any last words?" he asked.

"I'm... I'm sorry Jampang..." Quillion croaked out, more to himself than anyone else, needing to hear himself say those words out loud.

"I'm sure this Jampang will be joining you shortly" the Owl said.

Quillion close his eyes as he felt the tip of the knife pierce his skin.

Strangely the pain wasn't as bad as he thought.

In fact, it felt as if the knife was pulled away by a huge gust of wind.

"Quillion!" he heard Lena shout.

"Really? The last thing you'd think about is her? Pathetic..." he thought to himself.

"Angela! Get over here! He needs help!" Lena shouted desperately, puzzling him.

Then the darkness embraced him.

* * *

*Gibraltar: Watchpoint Holding Cells*

"Let us try that again" Morrison said as he balls up his fist, causing Alex to wince in fear.

"Where. Is. Talon?" Morrison asked, pausing each word with a punch, holding back just enough to keep him conscious.

"Wh-when the squad gets here, I will be free" Alex whimpered.

"My guess is they were a 12 man squad and they were led by someone known only as... The Owl?" Morrison said, causing Alex to look up in dismay.

"Athena, show him"

A holo vid appeared in front of them as they witness each Trooper was quickly eliminated one by one by an unknown gunman in a forest. Finally, an Enforcer, who was kneeling down, was suddenly riddled with a series of blue bolts before he was struck aside by Reinhardt's hammer.

"Talon knows where you are now, when a squad does not respond, they will come for all of you!" Alex said, trying reassure himself.

"How about this, we will give them 2 weeks, if no one comes for you, you tell us where they are" Morrison said as he walks out the door.

"Doomfist will come for you! He will come within the day!"

Morrison paused at the door, looking back over his shoulder before replying.

"I'm counting on it"

* * *

*Venice: Talon Base*

"It has been 5 hours since we have lost communication with the squad deployed in Spain and our spy" a Trooper reported.

"Are you sure? You have to be sure" an Enforcer said.

They had spent most of their lives working for Talon and hunted Overwatch agents with a passion. They have killed, lied, and bribed for any information and ever since they intercepted Winston's message, they spent millions to train thousands of spies in hopes to infiltrate Overwatch.

Now could finally be the breakthrough they were looking for. Many squads have reported that they found the base, but each time it was met with a disappointing find.

But this time. This time they may have finally found it.

"I am sure" the Trooper said as he sends the report.

"Try to re-establish connection with the spy and change the status of the Owl to KIA" the Enforcer said coldly, even though they were close friends, his sacrifice was necessary.

"Are you sure? He could still be out there"

"You know him just as well as I do, he will never stops talking unless if he is sleeping or dead and he would rather die than be captured"

"You should've sent me instead" a voice said behind them.

"You will be deployed soon enough Assassin" the Enforcer said.

"You better, if I don't have a kill order soon, I think I'll start with you"

Ignoring the threat, the Enforcer checked the report and was about to walk out when they heard it. Heavy footsteps that sent chills down everyone's spine as it could only belong to one person in the base.

"Why has no one reported to me that we lost communication with one of our scouts?" Ogundimu said as he entered the room.

"Sir, we are just about to report it to you now" the Enforcer said with a salute.

"A scout's average of radio silence is 3 hours, this squad has been silent for more than 4 hours, why the delay?"

"We need to make sure that they have been eliminated before we report it to you sir"

"Well, I am here now so you better have a good reason" he said as he glances at the screen.

A few minutes later after he read the report, he smiled.

"So they found a possible lead, killed an agent, verified Overwatch equipment and went silent?" Ogundimu summarized.

"Yes sir"

"I suggest we send every available agent now, kill them before they could relocate" the Assassin said quickly.

"There is no longer a need to attack them directly" Ogundimu chuckled, shocking everyone in the room.

"Sir?"

"We are changing tactics, this time we will force them to come to us"

"How shall we begin sir?"

"We now know of an agent who will be in London in a few months to meet this girl" he said as he threw a picture on the table, revealing the agent Tracer and a red-hair girl.

"Find the red head and eliminate her"

"With respect sir... Will it not be more effective to kill the agent herself?" the Assassin said.

Everyone held their breath at the Assassin's confidence but Ogundimu merely chuckled.

"Fight the enemy's most capable agent in her own home turf? That will be a waste of time. No. Find the red head and they will come for us, force them to fight on our terms, have I made myself clear?"

"Yes sir"

* * *

Hello everyone! Hope everyone has had a good Christmas and will have a good start for the New Year.

So, just as an update I am facing some minor health issues and would need to take some time in the hospital for further checking, so for the next 2 weeks I will be posting only 1 chapter on Fridays until further notice.

So yeah I apologize for that and I hope everyone will continue to have a good week!


	24. Chp 24 - Recovery

Good day everyone! Just want to wish everyone a Happy New Year of 2020!

Hope the first week has been good for you and a toast of Shandy to the rest of the year for you :D

* * *

*Gibraltar: Medical Ward*

Beep... Beep... Beep...

"That stupid clock again..." Quillion thought to himself, trying to ignore the sound and go back to sleep. However, it persisted, disrupting his sleep.

He tried to turn over so he could reach out to shut off that persistent alarm, but he found that he could not turn over. Puzzled, he tried to open his eyes to see why he can't move... Only the find out he could not.

He began to panic, is he blind? Is he paralyzed? What's going on?

Pain shot through his entire body. Tremendous pain. A groan of pain came from his throat.

"He is awake" he heard a robotic voice say.

Was he captured by the Omnics?

He felt soft hands began touching him and he tensed up. He will not be fooled by fake synthetics.

"His vitals are spiking, Quillion can you hear me?" he heard a woman say.

How did they know his name?

"Quillion? This is Angela, make a noise if you can hear me"

He remained silent as he lay there, still unsure if this was some simulation to trick him or not.

"Guess he is still asleep" she said.

"Perhaps if he could see, that would encourage him to respond" the same robotic voice said.

"Too bad my staff is damaged" he heard her say.

"I thought you could share your nanobots through your hands?"

"I've already told you many times before Genji" annoyance creeping into her voice "That only works for those who are compatible, I can't simply share them to anyone"

"But you applied it to Mei in Paris and you did not check if she is compatible"

"I already said it was the spur of the moment!" Angela replied angrily.

Genji immediately backed down with his questions and they have an uncomfortable silence for a while before he heard a door open.

"How is he?" he heard a deep voice say.

"Hey Winston, he is doing alright, just sleeping" Angela replied "What are you doing here?"

"Lena asked me to come visit when I have the time" he said, causing Quillion's heart to flutter for a second. She asked about him?

"Why did she not she come herself?" Genji asked.

"The moment we landed she passed out" Winston said sadly "I was carrying her back to her room when she asked me to visit"

"Poor thing, she always pushes herself too hard" Angela sighed.

As much as Quillion wants to remain silent to eavesdrop, the throbbing pain became too much to bear.

Forcing out a loud groan, he felt everyone looking at him.

"Quillion? You awake? This is Angela" she said.

"Hmm..." he grunted.

"Good, if you have tried to open your eyes, don't worry you are not blind, both your eyes are swollen and it may be another day or so before you can see again" she said.

That explains the blindness.

"Do you need something for the pain?"

He grunted in reply.

"Ok, this may sting a bit, but it will help you sleep" he heard her say as he felt a needle pierce his skin.

"Yes he is still asleep" he heard Genji said to someone, followed shortly with the door closing.

"What? It has only been a second after the injection" Quillion thought as he instinctively opens his eyes to show he is awake.

"Ahh you're finally awake" Genji said.

Looking at him for the first time, he realized that it is the same Omnic who he almost shot in the Hangar.

"You're that Omnic..." Quillion said weakly.

"I believe we have not been properly introduced, I am Genji Shimada and I am what you would call a cyborg" he said as he points to his parts that is not mechanical.

Quillion observed the man and saw that he is indeed missing most parts of his body, only the torso, an arm, and the head remained human.

He tried to sit up but found that he could not, as most of his body is in a cast.

"How long have I been asleep?"

"After Angela gave you the medicine, 2 days, so in total 5 days since your fight"

"5 days..." Quillion said in frustration.

"I've heard you tried to take on the Owl in hand to hand combat, foolish, but brave" Genji said with amusement.

Quillion did not say anything as the memories come rushing back, feeling humiliated by losing in such a totalizing manner.

"Though somewhat foolish, your bravery has helped us to finally eliminate him, he has been a thorn at our side for quite some time" Genji continued as he leaned back on his pillow.

Quillion knows that this Genji character is trying to make him feel better but he still feels the sting of defeat, so he decides to change the subject.

"So you are a cyborg?" he asked.

"Yes" was the simple reply.

"If you don't mind me asking, what happened?" Quillion asked.

"Have you seen the news about Ireland?" Genji asked back, to which Quillion nodded.

"This is the result of my failure"

"Oh" Quillion said, not knowing what to say, he actually meant to ask what happened to the rest of his body but seems like an insensitive thing to ask now.

"It does not matter, I am still alive and I know what they can do, the next time we meet, the results will be very different"

At those words Quillion stayed quiet, feeling a slight hint of inspiration at Genji's perspective of defeat.

"Sorry for almost shooting you back in the hangar"

"Do not worry, you would not have succeeded"

"Oh? How so?"

"It is because you ask is why you would have failed to kill me"

Quillion looked at him the best he could from his angle and he noticed there is no doubt in Genji's expression.

"He is a dangerous guy, glad he is on our side" Quillion thought to himself.

The door swung open and a team of people walk in, led by someone whom Quillion did not see.

"Common, hurry up but be careful with my tools!" the Swedish man shouted.

"Torbjorn I told you to be quiet when you are in my ward!" Angela shouted as she walked out of her office.

"Ahh Angela, perfect, now we can get this done within the hour!"

They crowded around Genji's bed and Quillion saw that they were carrying a whole suit of armor.

"Now, at your request, I have maintained the same specs and capabilities as your old suit"

"Thank you Torbjorn, I will not forget this"

"Ok, let's begin"

"Do not worry, it won't be long" Angela said as she watches nearby.

"As long as you are around, I will never be worried" Genji said.

Quillion swore he saw her blush as she pulls the blind around his bed.

*Gibraltar: Morrison's Office*

"Are you sure?" Winston asked as he reads the unpublished memo.

"Yes, I believe it is time" Morrison said behind his desk, putting down his pen.

"You do realize that this is going to shock everyone?"

"I am well aware, but issue it anyway"

"What happened to you?"

"Adapting"

Winston looked at Morrison in disbelief. He has known Jack for many years and this is the first time he received instructions that is completely out of character.

"Remember Winston, stress that this is only for 2 weeks and all members are to participate at least once, all departments are to rework their schedules around this"

"Don't need to tell me twice" Winston said as he exited the office excitingly.

*Gibraltar: Medical Ward*

Quillion was about to drift back to sleep when the doors swung open with a bang, startling him.

"Guys! Did you read the latest memo?!" Lena shouted as she ran in, which is strange as she usually blinks all the time.

"I said quiet in my ward!" Angela said angrily, poking her head out of the blinds.

"I'm sorry but everyone must read this memo!"

"It fits perfectly, thank you" Genji said as he walks out.

"Of course! I made it" Torbjorn boasted.

"Genji! Glad to see you walking again!" Tracer said as she blinks forward to hug him.

"Greetings Lena, good to see you as well"

"What is that memo about" Angela said, still angry that her ward is becoming more noisy.

"Jack's organizing a bowling competition!" Lena said excitingly.

"Give me t'at!" Torbjorn said, snatching the memo from Lena's hands.

They all gathered around him and read the memo for themselves.

"I should've delayed your suit Genji"

"I'm sorry, bowling competition?" Quillion asked suddenly.

"Quil! You're awake!" Lena shouted as she blinks to hug him.

"Hey" he said, holding back the pain from the sudden hug, wanting it to last longer.

"Lena let go of him" Angela said, eyeing the monitor that is spiking steadily.

"Never do something that stupid again, we need to stop meeting like this" Lena scolded Quillion as she lets go.

Quillion laughed when he noticed that indeed this is the second time they met in a Medical Ward with him on the bed.

"So what's this about the bowling competition?"

"It has been cancelled ever since Jack gain command of Overwatch" Angela said.

"Yes, all that elbow grease down the drain... Until now" Torbjorn said happily.

"Each department are to form teams to compete"

"So… When does it start?" Quillion ask.

"Next week! So get well soon so we can see what you're made of!" Lena said excitedly.

"Think I can get some of that healing juice to get me out of here?" he asked, looking at Angela.

It took a moment for her to realize he was referring to the Health Packs.

"No, from our recent operation we have run out of stock, it'll be weeks before we have enough to produce more"

*One week later*

"Alright you seem well enough to be discharged" Angela said as she examines the X-Rays.

"That's good" Quillion said as a nurse removes the cast.

Finally free from the confines of the ward, he made his way to the Armoury.

"Ahh Private, looks like you're back on your feet!" Torbjorn greeted as he enters.

"Yeah, just here to use the range, need to get my aim back after a week in the bed"

"The range is closed today" Torbjorn as he puts down his bag and began locking the cabinets.

"Oh? Why's that?"

"Morrison made sure that only the essentials are operational during the Bowling Competition"

"What if there is an emergency?"

"Then we'd go back to work, simple as that. In fact, you came at just the right time"

Quillion tilt his head in curiosity.

"Why might that be?"

"It is our turn to play now" Torbjorn said as shuts off the lights in the Armoury "Ever since they ruled out Winston, we need one more man for our team!"

"Oh I don't bowl"

In truth, Quillion prefers to spend his time to improve himself, not to play a stupid bowling match. The sting of facing such an embarrassing defeat still lingers like a bad taste.

"You do now, common"

Out of respect for the older man, he followed, thinking to himself that he will only play for an hour before leaving.

"So who do we have in our team and who is our opponent?"

"Reinhardt, Genji, myself, now you. We will be playing against Angela, Brigitte, Mei and Lena"

*Gibraltar: Bowling Alley*

"And our new contestant has gotten another Turkey!" the announcer shouted enthusiastically.

Quillion pumped his fist into the air as the crowd cheer.

This is the 5th hour into the game and after wading through multiple teams, they are now at the finals.

"Haha! You are going down!" Renhardt shouted to the other team.

"Get 'em Mei!"

Both contestants threw at the same time, resulting to Reinhardt pulling ahead by one point.

"Genji! Your turn!"

Everyone watched in anticipation as he is going against Lena.

"Let us see if you are better in bowling than fighting" he challenged.

"You may be better in the training room, but this is the real thing!" she snapped back.

They threw their balls and Lena gained a strike while Genji was left with two pins standing.

"Wohoo!" Lena celebrated.

Quillion watched in amusement as she broke into a strange dance, he looked until a hand smacked him lightly in the back of his head.

"Hey! Stop looking at her and focus! We aren't losing today!" Torbjorn said with a hint of annoyance.

"No I wasn't looking AT her" he said, hiding his blush as the other team heard them and now eyeing him suspiciously.

"Then what are you doing?"

"I... I was trying to figure out what kind of dance that was"

"She calls it the Charleston, there, now you know, so let's get back to winning"

After this Quillion felt his face become redder and took very cautious steps not to look over to their direction again for the entirety of the match.

*1 hour later*

"Look I'm sorry alright? I think I just got tired"

"Tired? You missed almost every shot right after I caught you snooping at Lena!"

"I wasn't snooping and I just lost focus" Quillion persisted.

"Never mind... Just a silly game anyway" Torbjorn grunted.

They walked out in defeat as Angela held up the trophy with her team.

"Well well... Looks like the girls win again" they heard a voice behind them.

Turning around, Quillion saw an unfamiliar face dressed as a cowboy.

"Oh? Been a while since we last saw you cowboy"

"I... Had something else I have to attend to"

"What are you doing back here then?"

"Winston called and asked me to lead a team, he also told me he wants me to lead the new blood" he said, eyeing at Quillion.

"What? Me? On missions?" he asked excitedly.

"I've heard you've got some spunk kid, so don't disappoint me now"

"Yes sir!"

"Cut off the military stuff, call me McCree, meet me at the hangar tomorrow at 10am, we've already got our first assignment"

"Does Jack know about this?" Torbjorn asked suspiciously.

"Winston had to pull a few strings, but as long as we don't talk about Venice, then we are fine"

*Gibraltar: Barracks*

He nearly jumped in joy as he laid on his bed. Finally a real mission with a veteran.

"Officer on deck!" one mercenary shouted.

The men immediately stood at attention.

"Private Zero, you are required outside now" Drill Sergeant Bill said.

"Sir" Quillion replied as he runs out to find Lena leaning on the wall with her arms crossed.

"Heya!"

"Lena? D-did you call for me?" he said before blushing slightly as he realize how stupid that sounded.

"Yeah I need you help, do you know that song you were listening to when I first found you?"

"You mean 'Never Gonna Give You Up' by Rick Ashley?"

'Yeah, think you can teach me how to play that on a guitar?"

"Wow the great Lena Oxton needs help? That's a new one" he teased.

"Are you going to help me or not?"

"Sure but... Why do you need to learn that specific song?"

"Great! Let's go!" she said, pulling him along.

"You haven't answered why" he said as she dragged him away, ignoring the question.

*Gibraltar: Private Quarters*

Her room is messier than he expected. Unkept bed, magazines littered across the floor, clothes strewn at random places, even the mirror has been covered by clothes. Which is strange, she has always looked good.

"Common in and make yourself home luv!" she said as she pulls a guitar out of her closet.

"I..." he said, his heart thumping hard against his chest.

"What?" she asked innocently as she sat down on the sofa.

"Err... I don't... Soldiers are not allowed into the Private Quarters" he choked out.

"Common we are both adults here right? It'll be fine" she said as she blinked behind him and pushed him in.

Standing stock still, his mind raced on what to do. He is now in her room! What should he do? What does it mean?

"Relax, its just a guitar lesson, I'm not gonna bite" she said cheerfully, blinking back on the sofa.

He said down on a chair opposite the sofa and tried to relax. Yes. It is just a guitar lesson, nothing else.

"Why don't we do this somewhere else?"

"Jack has always preferred to keep these activities away from the base, he thinks it will disrupt discipline"

"Well he is not wrong" he thought to himself.

"Common lets start!" she said excitedly, her eyes fixed on Quillion, sitting across him with her legs crossed and grabbing them with both her arms.

Then Quillion realized something. This is is opportunity to impress her!

Reinvigorated, he smiled as he played and sang.

_We're no strangers to love,  
__You know the rules and so do I  
__A full commitment is what I'm thinking of  
__You won't get this from any other guy_

When he finished the song, he noticed she had a look of concern.

"What? Not up your alley?"

"No I think its... Too fast... Is there another slower, more romantic song?"

His heart fluttered. Romantic?

Playing various songs, he tried many of the most romantic songs he could think of but all were rejected.

After an hour a disappointed Lena sighed.

"Ya know, maybe just one more and let's see what we've got to work with"

Wrecking his brain for this final shot, his thoughts landed on the King.

"Check this out" he said with a smile.

The slow strumming caught her attention.

_Wise men say only fools rush in  
__But I can't help falling in love with you  
__Shall I stay? Would it be a sin?  
__If I can't help falling in love with you_

Before he even finished, Lena stopped him by putting a hand over his, causing his heart to beat faster than ever before.

"This is perfect, think you can teach me to play this by Christmas?"

One song in less than 5 months?

"No problem" he replied.

* * *

*Venice: Talon Base*

SS28 stood in front of her mirror, testing out more advance disguises as per requested by Dr O'Deorain.

In front of her is a picture of a young woman who was recently deceased in one of Talon backed hospitals in England, whose medical records are constantly shared to them so they could continually adopt names for their Operations around the world.

Doctor told her that she is to go to London soon for a mission so she needs to look like this person and adopt a lifestyle that is very unlike her. As much as she dislikes it, this is for the doctor.

"Good afternoon 28, how is the disguise coming along?" her new caretaker, Anna, said as she came in.

"This is a difficult one, just can't seem to get her nose right" SS28 complained as she measures her nose again, trying to fit to the description from the medical file.

"Well, I think you look fine" Anna said truthfully, the current look would've fooled her many times over.

"Did Doctor ask for me? Can I go see Doctor?"

"I'm sorry but no, she is still busy with her work"

"Then it is not good enough" she said frustratingly, grabbing the picture again to try to perfect her face.

It has been weeks since their last meeting and ever since she defeated that Heavy Assault Unit, she felt as if Doctor has been avoiding her, only sending runners to tell her what to do. Weeks since she said those words...

"How about now?" she asked after reconstructing her face from scratch.

"It's perfect" Anna again, witnessing a spitting image of the person in the picture.

"But the nose..."

"It is fine"

She measure her nose one more time before turning to her caretaker for the first time.

"What are you doing here?"

"I am here to take some of your blood"

"Again? I already told you I am 25 this month"

"Yes, but we need to be sure"

Rolling her eyes, she stuck out her hand and insert a finger into the device that Anna is holding. Despite having enhanced durability and healing factors, the pricking is still uncomfortable.

"And you are... 23 this month, a little younger" Anna read from the device.

"Good to hear that you are nearing 30" Moira said as she fades into the room.

"Doctor!" SS28 squealed, running to her like a little child and hugged her tightly.

"I see that you have done well to disguise yourself"

"Yes Doctor! Look! Did I do good?" she said excitingly as she held up the picture next to her face.

Moira nodded and rewarded her creation with a pat to the head, an act that greatly pleases the young woman.

"Is there anything else I can do for Doctor?"

"I need to speak to Anna for a moment, I am here to collect her"

"Oh..." SS28 said, looking downcast as both Moira and Anna leave the room.

"How is her development?" Moira asked Anna.

"She is growing faster than expected, I suppose you are correct that showing some affection will speed up her growth"

"Good, I am growing tired of this charade, how is the state of her mentally?"

"She is equivalent to a high performing graduate student but she needs to learn the ways of the world to blend in public properly"

"How soon can we perform another field test to counter this?"

"We can do it now with your permission"

"Granted, anything else to report?"

"She does have one weakness, we believe that she undeniably looks up to you as her mother"

Moira groaned in annoyance.

"I thought we extracted these useless emotions from all our subjects?"

"Yes, but unfortunately this one kept those tendencies, maybe if you show up less..."

"No... Affection is needed to speed up her growth level, I suppose we need to keep it up until she reached the target age"

Anna nodded as she tapped her tablet, calling in the escorts for the field test.

"Then by our calculations... You do not need to visit until a month later"

Moira nodded and fadded back to her office.

The moment she disappear, Anna leaned against the wall and let out a sigh of relief, her heart pounding against her chest rapidly.

"She is in a better mood today" she thought to herself as she wipes off a trail of sweat from her forehead with a shaking hand. Normally these sort of reports would earn the wrath of her Biotic Grasp.

"Doctor?" SS28 called out from her room, to which Anna quickly enter in, resuming her act of a caring caretaker.

"The Doctor need to go back to her work now, so we are going on a little field trip"

"Oh ok..."

Anna looked at her saddened face and felt glad she does not have these weaknesses of wanting a mother.


	25. Chp 25 - Act 1 Ends, Phase 2 Begins

*Russia: Volskaya Industries*

The Svyatogors stood guard over Russia and her people, their towering bodies symbolizes the unyielding will and might of the country, even the proud Zarya could not help but feel humbled at the sight of them.

"We will be landing in Volskaya Industries first, then we will brief you your roles for the parade" the political officer said.

"Is the security better than last time? We do not want another breach into the facility again"

"It has tripled since the attempt on Ms Volskaya's life"

With that they said no more as the helicopter lands on the landing pad where Katya Volskaya is already waiting for them in her usual white suit and surrounded by 4 new Mechs.

"Katya, so good to see you again" Zarya said, holding out her hand.

"It is good to see you too" Katya replied, shaking her hand.

"I see our Mech productions is going well" Zarya stated as she examines the entourage, noticing better armaments and armor compared to the previous model.

"Come, let us go to my office"

As they were leaving, Zarya paused for a moment as she thought she saw a trail of black smoke seeping from the container as the other helicopter lands.

The guards followed until they are outside of the office, 2 Mechs are positioned next to the Elevator while the other 2 are stationed outside the office.

Locking the door behind them, Katya remained silent as she flips on a few more switches. Zarya watched in interest as beams of light scanned the office, no doubt scanning for invisible intruders.

"Looks like we are clear, now we can talk" Katya said as she sat down behind her desk.

"Security has indeed improved here" Zarya said as she took a seat.

"State of the art scanners and walls, no one can hear anything from the outside and vice versa"

Zarya nodded, impressed at how much one would spend to keep themselves safe.

"How goes the war?"

"Harsh and cold, perfect for the men"

"How are my Mechs performing in combat compared to the other factories?"

"Far better, which they should... Given your sources..."

Katya stared at Zarya for a moment and glanced at the picture of her daughter on the table.

"I did what I had to do for Russia"

A slight tremble shook the floor but they both ignored it as it was common for slight vibrations as the Svyatogors shift or reposition themselves where they stood, but it reminded Zarya of the front.

"Why did you call me back? The army has already made the final push and I am not there with them"

"I need you to be part of my security during the parade"

"You seem to have enough protection already"

"Those can still be hacked by… Her… I need someone who is unhackable, someone who I can trust"

"I am a soldier, my place is with the army"

"You are not just a soldier, you are a hero"

"Is that why you hired me to chase after a spy? Because of your 'hero' fantasies?"

There was an awkward silence at those words, broken only by the clattering of a few objects in the room as the ground shook again.

"Machines and soldiers can be replaced, but heroes and symbols are legacies, you must recognize that we need a symbol here in Volskaya, with you alone you can inspire more men to work for us and produce more weapons to end this war"

"Enough, find yourself another bodyguard or poster girl, I'm going back to the front" Zarya said as she stood up and walked to the door.

"Wait! We are not done here" Katya shouted at her.

Zarya ignored her and open the door to find a skull staring back at her.

"Die"

She heard a loud bang and Katya screaming her name before she realize that she was thrown backwards a few feet from the door with the force of a shotgun. Then the pain came, so much that when she collapsed to the floor, she could only clutch her stomach as blood flow out of the wound, paralyzed by the pain.

"Katya Volskaya… There is no escaping this time" Reaper said triumphantly as he enters the room.

"Guards! Guards!" she shouted.

"They'll be too late by the time I'm done here" Reaper said, his Hellfire shotgun pointed at her heart.

He was about to pull the trigger when he felt someone grabbed his foot in a vice like grip. He looked down and saw that it was Zarya.

"Still alive? Impressive... Time to fix that" he growled, turning a barrel to her face.

"Not today" he heard Katya shout.

Before Reaper could react, a flash of light sent him flying out of the room, crashing through the wall in the process.

"W… What was that?" Zarya said weakly as Katya holstered her weapon.

"Mechs are not the only things we produce here, lets get you to the Emergency Room"

Wrapping an arm around her neck, they struggled out of her office, then they knew what happened to her guards as they witness a terrifying sight.

The corridor is filled with smoke and everywhere they looked has been blown apart by either plasma bolts or bullets and all 4 Mechs have been destroyed, their smoking husks are scattered around the room.

Looking through the ruined office, they saw Reaper's body slumped against a pillar next to the elevator.

They looked at each other before Zarya gave a nod of encouragement, there was no way he could have survived. But as they got closer, he looked up.

"Let's try that again…" he said before he vanished.

"Impossible" Katya breathed, quickly pulling out her weapon.

"Let's keep moving"

They are halfway through the corridor when they heard him again.

"Do not think you can survive this" Reaper laughed, his voice echoing around them in the black smoke.

Katya shot towards where she thought is the source of his voice, her weapon blew a massive hole in the wall.

Reaper laughed even louder.

"That weapon is troublesome, you will pay for shooting me with that"

"We need to move faster" Zarya groaned, her hand over her wound that is still seeping blood.

"Security, we need you up here now!" Katya shouted into a device outside the elevator.

"We are almost there Ms! A few more minutes" a flustered man replied.

"Then let's finish this before they come" Reaper growled as he materialized in front of them, still in his Wraith form but they could clearly see his arms spread out as he glides towards them, Hellfire shotguns formed from spiraling smoke.

Pointing her weapon directly at him, she shot another round but it sped right through him, blowing everything behind it's intended target into nothing as he inched closer to them, his red eyes are the only visible features in the cloud of smoke.

Katya's composure faltered, death has surely came for them.

"Go Katya, I'll hold him off!" Zarya said, shoving the CEO behind a water dispenser and picked up a table with her other arm as Reaper touched the floor with both feet, his weapons trained on them.

"But…"

"Go!" Zarya roared as she charged the Reaper, who shot a chunk of the table apart before he was stopped in his tracks as she tackled him with the strength of a linebacker.

Katya darted away as Zarya grabbed Reaper and threw themselves into another office, smashing through the glass and knocking his Hellfire shotguns away.

"Russia will fall when I'm done with both of you" Reaper growled as he stood up.

"You fool… I… am Mother Russia"

"Then I'll break you first"

Before he could form new guns, Zarya charged again, surprising him because he was sure she has lost too much blood to put up any resistance.

"Surprised?" she taunted as she tackled him, sending him flying across the room but he smothered the impact by becoming smoke just before his hits the wall, though just partially, his Wraith Form is not fully ready yet.

"You know those American movies with Russians in them? They were based off of me"

Reaper felt it before he could see it as another table come crashing down upon him with enormous strength.

"From Russia with love" he heard her say.

He looked up and saw both of her hands clenched above her head, about to deliver what he assumed is a final blow.

With a roar, her fists was delivered like a comet, her attack caused a small crater to appear on the floor.

But to her horror, her opponent dodged her attack. She tried to retaliate but her punch is caught by a clawed hand, weakened by the fact that she has lost too much blood.

Laughing, Reaper pushed her off before throwing her across the room, forming his shotguns in the process.

"Once I get rid of you, everything will fall into place"

"Zarya!'

She looked up to see Katya and the security force rush into the room, their weapons pointed at Reaper and accompanied by a Mech.

"Get out! Get out now!" she yelled.

But it was too late, black smoke billowed from Reaper, surrounding them with darkness.

_**Die... Die... DIE!**_

Reaper's Death Blossom filled the small room, in a cloud of smoke he spun around like a tornado, his shotguns spat death everywhere.

The security team was obliterated in an instant as they used their bodies as literal walls of meat in a desperate attempt to keep Katya alive, showering her with their blood. Even the Mech became nothing but scrap as the pilot met the similar fate as its barriers could not withstand the reaping.

Without thinking, Zarya pounced, using her arms to shield her face and neck as she tackled him, stopping his attack.

"You annoying insect!" he shouted as his shot was thrown off course away from Katya, who stood frozen in terror at the sudden wave of death that she just witness.

But the Russian hero would not budge, instead she shoved him towards the glass, cracks forming behind him from the impact.

"No!" he screamed when he realized what she plans to do as she heaved a fist above her head.

Discarding his weapons, he grabbed her arm and both wrestle to gain ground, in which Reaper manage to thrust his claws into Zarya, causing her to gasp in pain as he twist his hand, further opening her wound.

"Zarya! Get off!" Katya shouted, her shaking weapon trained at them.

Reaper saw this and turned the near fainted Zarya around, using her as a shield.

"If you shoot, you will have to kill her as well" he growled.

Katya blinked as she realize her weapon will indeed kill them at this range. Her arm shook as she realized she is going to be responsible for the death of the Russian hero.

"Let her go!"

Before Reaper could reply, Katya swore she saw Zarya winked before suddenly leaping backwards, causing the unprepared Reaper to crash against the glass behind them.

His Hellfire Shotguns has weakened the glass of the office and their bodies broke through effortlessly, sending them falling down towards the icy cold waters.

Zarya closed her eyes as she felt Reaper disappear from behind her, as long as Katya can survive another day, the people of Russia is in good hands.

The thought made her smiled as her body crashed into the icy cold water below.

* * *

*Gibraltar: Watchpoint*

Quillion stood in attention eagerly since 9:55am at the Hangar.

Some looked at him with curiosity but he is too excited to care, finally he is off with a real squad and for a real mission.

Though McCree did not wear regulation clothing when they saw him yesterday, he seemed quite experienced, especially since Winston called him back to lead the new soldiers.

But around 10:30am, he began to weaken in his posture. Perhaps he is at some briefing? And where is the rest of the squad?

"Heya! Whatcha doing?" he heard a voice say, followed by a familiar blinking sound.

"Hey Lena, just waiting for McCree, have you seen him?"

She shook her head as she stood next to him. It wasn't long until he realized that she too is standing at attention.

"Err… What are you doing?"

"Standing at attention with you" she said with a serious face.

"I can see that but… Why?"

"Cause you look lonely doing it alone"

"You're mocking me aren't you?"

"You're the one doing it to yourself"

"I… What?"

He tried to sound angry but a grin has cracked across his mouth and when Lena saw it, they both fell into a fit of laughter, causing passerbys to glance at them with curious looks.

"What are you doing here anyway?"

"I'm off to another mission, just waiting for my shuttle to be ready" she said.

"Another one? Don't you think... You're overdoing it a little?"

"As long as people need our help, we should do our part"

"What happens when they don't? You know, since we are criminals and all"

She looked at him with what he thought was anger before it was replaced with her usual positive spirit.

"Then we do what we can to make the world a better place"

Quillion looked at her pilot, Lox, and notice that he has heavy eye bags beneath his eyes while staring at his pad.

"Where were you guys? And where to next?"

"We were in Brazil to stop a small Null Sector uprising, now we are going to Dorado in Mexico, Morrison asked me to deliver something to help the people. And also to pass a message to Los Muertos"

"What message?"

Lena puffed out her chest and deepen her voice.

"These aren't your streets anymore"

They both laughed at the bad imitation of Morrison, though softer as they looked around to make sure that he is not at the hangar.

He looked at his watch and realize that it is now 11am.

"Well, my shuttle is ready, I'll catch ya later then"

"Yeah see ya"

She smiled and gave him her signature two finger salute before blinking away.

"Now where is that McCree..." he wondered as he walked back into the base.

Pondering what his next action should be, he met Winston who is making his way to the Engineering Room.

"Good morning Quillion, how are things?"

"Morning Winston, just looking for McCree" he replied casually, finally used to speaking with a talking gorilla.

"Oh he is still asleep"

Huh? Asleep?

"Wait I thought there is a mission assigned to him?"

Winston chuckled.

"Sounds like he has not changed after all these years"

"What should I do?"

"Just wait in the dining room, I'm sure he will be there later"

"You mean the Mess Hall?"

"I liked it better when it is known as a dining room" Winston sighed.

*Gibraltar: Mess Hall/Dining Room*

Nearing lunch time, most of the staff have already queued up, some are still wearing bandages from the last battle in Algeciras. In honor for their efforts, the cooks have made pumpkin pies as a special treat, resulting to a longer queue than usual.

The sweet-smelling pie made his stomach rumble but he did not join the line, instead he chose a cup of coffee only. He did not deserve a slice of the pie as he was not present in that battle.

Finding a seat next to the entrance, he sipped his coffee as he waits for McCree. This was when he was joined by Mei.

"Hey, mind if I join you?" she asked.

"Sure, why not"

She took a seat across him and placed a plate of pie in front of him.

"Here, try some, its pretty good"

He smiled and shook his head.

"No, that pie is not for me"

"Oh? Did they deny you a pie? The sign says it is for everyone"

"It's to acknowledge the efforts of those who fought in Algeciras, maybe I'll have one after everyone else has one. Have to make sure they have their share first"

"Oh ok, if you say so"

Pulling the plate towards herself she helped herself to the pie.

"You are Mei right? One of our scientists?" he asked.

"Yes, where did you hear that?"

"I read some records of the battle in Paris, good idea using your backpack"

"Oh, Winston is the one who thought about it"

"Well either way, good job"

She blushed slightly as she smiled and nodded in thanks.

"How are you handling this?" she asked.

"What do you mean?"

"You have been frozen for quite some time and woke up to a world where everything has changed, I know how hard that can be"

"I'm... Okay I think"

"That's good... Anything you want to ask?" she ask almost hesitantly.

Quillion was surprised that he somehow knew what she meant by that. He has so many questions, but he never had anyone that could understand so he never even thought about what to ask.

In fact, he realized this is the first time he has time to calm down to think about how to cope or why he is here. Even his time staying in the hospital was just focusing on recovery.

"Do you ever miss the old days?"

"Every day" she replied sadly, looking at her coffee mug.

"How do you cope?"

She thought about it for a moment before answering.

"Fortunately for me, Winston was still around, having a familiar face helped a lot"

Quillion nodded in agreement as he too wishes for anyone from the old days to be with him now.

"How about your culture? Do you miss it?"

"Yes, but it is my fault for not returning to China until now, too caught up with work. But I will definitely return when I have the chance"

Oh right, her country is still around, he thought to himself.

"I... Actually do not know what I really want to ask, it's just hard" Quillion admitted finally.

Mei stopped eating for a moment and did not answer, only providing a listening ear, which Quillion appreciated as he gathers his thoughts.

"My friends are dead, my families are dead, my country is dead, I promised to die for all of them and I failed them all..."

Mei shifted uncomfortably in her chair. Though they were both frozen across time, she did not go through the same struggles that he is going through.

"My life only has one purpose now... I have one promise that I almost failed... Jampang would have died for nothing..."

How pathetic can he be? How could he break Jampang's final desperate command so willingly? Anger filled his being as the memories raced across his mind. He should not have admitted defeat, he should've kept fighting.

"All because I thought about myself... No more... Find them... Rip their heads off... As long as Overwatch is looking for the head... I'll rip its head off... They must pay..."

Patience is the key now... He will play along as a soldier... The UN is not looking for the head... The Russians have their hands full with the grunts... Athena told him he is not cleared for the information for this Talon... The Owl talked about them... Are they the enemy? Are they the head? Or is Overwatch the head all along? He must know before making his next move...

But that would mean that he will have to kill Lena...

The handle of the mug snapped, the cut in his thumb woke him up from his almost meditative rant. Looking up he noticed Mei has become quite uncomfortable.

"Haha... Look at me, ranting for nothing" he smiled, reaching for a tissue.

"Well now... What have we here?" a voice interrupted them.

Looking up they both saw that it is McCree holding his own cup of coffee.

"Mind if I join ya?"

Without waiting for a reply, he sat down and place his hat on the table. Quillion tried his best not to wrinkle his nose as it was met by a strong odor of tobacco and whiskey.

"Hi McCree, you like pies right? Today's option is good" Mei said, sounding glad that he came.

"Nah, I prefer mine apples"

"Good morning sir, when do we depart for the mission?" Quillion said excitedly.

"I told you, stop it with the military mumbo jumbo" McCree sighed as he sipped his coffee.

"Sorry si- I mean, so when shall we go?"

"Until I finish this cup of coffee"

So Quillion waited. And waited as McCree took his time talking with Mei.

"Err... McCree? Don't we have a mission? And where is the rest of the squad?"

"Oh, it has been canceled so I got rid of the rest" he said calmly.

"What?"

"Jack felt that Lena should tackle the mission instead and I agreed"

Quillion stared. McCree agreed to give up the mission and that is why Lena had to go to another one just now?

"McCree, I don't think you know that Lena has been going on missions non-stop? She needs a break and-"

"We do have another assignment"

Quillion stopped and quiet down to listen, maybe a bit too eagerly.

"Hold your horses kiddo, it is an easy one, just promise me 2 things"

"What might those be?"

"First, you must always follow what I say to the letter. Second, all the missions are highly confidential and you must not reveal any details to anyone else"

"Yes sir!"

*2 days later*

"Has anyone seen Quillion lately?" Winston asked.

"No, I have not" Genji replied.

"Well... Last I met them, McCree did say that they went off for an easy assignment" Mei said concerningly.

"Are we ready?" Genji asked as he unsheathed his sword.

"You sure about this?" Mei asked.

"You do not need to worry about me. Begin"

"Okay..."

Mei pointed her Endothermic Blaster at him.

In rapid succession, sharp icicles were shot directly at Genji, who deflected one after another effortlessly.

"Faster" he commanded.

Mei complied and increase the firing speed.

"Now Winston" he said when he felt this is the right speed.

Winston pressed a few button and 2 drones activated, both revealing clawlike arms grasping for the ninja.

Weaving and twisting his body, Genji was able to avoid his attackers for a moment before one of Mei's icicles slipped past his sword, impaling into his thigh.

"Genji!" Mei shouted and dropped her gun immediately as if it is hot.

"Well... Looks like you're losing your touch Genji" they heard someone say behind them.

Turning around they saw that it is McCree.

"I can still render your 'Dead Eye' useless McCree" Genji shot back as he stood up.

"How was your mission?" Winston asked.

"It was fine, I think my new assistant is getting the hang of it"

"Assistant?"

"I am not your assistant" an angry voice called out from the corridor.

Quillion stormed in and everyone stared.

Unlike McCree who is relatively clean and tidy, he looked as if he just went through the harshest of battlefields. Covered with dirt and soot, he limped into the room, filling the room with a foul odour.

"What happened to you?" Winston asked, his eyes wide.

"We just had a run in with some Null Sector supporters in Texas" McCree said, putting out his cigar.

"Supporters? It was an entire battalion!"

"Tip was that this group were about to hijack a convoy so we stopped it"

"You mean you made me jump off the building while you just drank coffee!"

"Hey hey, remember what you promised" McCree laughed.

At those words Quillion's mouth open and close rapidly before he turned around and angrily limped off.

"Where're ya going partner?"

"To clean up! And I am not your partner!"

"What did you do to him?" Genji asked in wonder when Quillion stormed out of the room.

"I just wanted to see what the kid can do" McCree said nonchalantly, lighting another cigar.

"What really happened out there?"

"Sometimes the results are more important than details"

"Well? What's your assessment?" Mei asked.

"Kid's got talent, a few more weeks he'd be able to lead his own team, I've got another idea to check if he's got it though"

"What might that be?" Winston asked.

"Well, Lena requested for reinforcements for this other mission and I've already accepted. I'll wait until he's halfway through his bath before screaming for him to get out" McCree said as he walked off.

"Is... Is he allowed to do that?" Mei asked concerningly.

"He has his methods" Winston said, trying to reassure himself of his decision to have McCree ease Quillion into the cultures of the world instead of Morrison.

"Either way, let's resume our training, these tools will soon be vital for our fights in the future" Genji said as he sprays some chemicals over his wound.

* * *

*Southern India: Vishkar Corporation*

Applause rang through the great halls of the Vishkar Corporation as the CEO announced the approval of their new venture. This opportunity will open multiple doors for others to expand their research and influence. Soon they may even earn an entrance into the City of Oasis.

But no one is as happy as Sanjay Korpal, who threw a small party in his department at his expense, providing everyone freeflow of drinks and food to show his appreciation for their hard work.

Finally his plans to have revenge on the company that ruined his reputation as their chief spokesperson and passed it to that one glorified architect, will soon come to reality. Years of planning, years of negotiation has finally paid off.

They have passed the international audit on their new hardlight crates and containers, revolutionizing the amount of food that people are able to send out with practically no weight or maintenance while ensuring a protection as hard as steel with relative ease.

The first shipment will be to Russia.

Sanjay also smiled in glee as his research, though temporary, may become more influential than even the Architect Academy, where his rival, Satya, or Symmetra as she is known now, resides. Maybe he could even buy it quickly and dismantle it before his own departments...

As he sat in his office and thought about what is the appropriate thing to do next, one of his employees burst into his office.

"Mr Korpal, we must stop the production for the crates!"

"Wha- why?"

"Because they are all infected!"

Sanjay broke into a cold sweat. How did he find out?

"What do you mean?" he ask, licking his dry lips.

"I was doing a random quality audit and I realized that hidden in the crates is a strain of virus that I've never seen before!"

"Is... Is it obvious?"

"No, it was very well hidden, only our equipment can pick it up but even with them we have to be purposefully looking for it"

Stunned, Sanjay said nothing but motion the staff to continue.

"I checked the others and they all contain the virus, I fear this will cause an epidemic because it is directly connected to the food storage, we must stop it before it's too late!"

"Did you inform anyone else about this?"

"I tried reaching the bosses but they require your verification first, please you must hurry! I think someone sabotaged the design!" the staff said urgently.

"That's it? Just the Management and myself?"

"Yes, wh-"

He could not finish the words as he suddenly felt excruciating pain in his heart. He grabbed his chest and felt a very thin object impaled him, he tried to pull it out but to no avail.

Dropping to his knees he looked up and saw Sanjay, who remained sitting in his chair, has a finger raised. From this angle he could see the ultra-thin hardlight attached to his finger that is piercing his heart.

"You just had to go do an audit" Sanjay said as he stood up, piercing his heart deeper with every step.

The man tried to fight back but he could not get a grip on the material.

"Do not worry, it will look like as if you had a heart attack... Or a stroke, these things happen during a party you know..."

A few desperate moments later, his victim stopped struggling and he retracted the nail back into his palm.

Pulling out his monitor, he sent one message.

"Phase 2 is now operational"

* * *

*Malaysia: Somewhere in the Jungle*

It has been a few weeks since his declaration of war with the Mexican. Weeks of careful hunting throughout the world through his connections, using everyone in his pockets to find this Overwatch and its agents. Corrupted authorities and businessmen combed through their areas of influence under his orders and they all ended with nothing.

There is only one lead however, a lead that Agong does not trust, which is the picture that has been left behind. He had sat in his office staring at this picture of the three woman standing in front of Big Ben. Sure the other two looked like locals, but surely the Mexican would not be staying in England as well. That is too easy.

His phone rang and he looked who is the caller. It is one of his business partners in Mexico.

"What do you have?"

"Senior... All the cartels here have already checked their sources, there is no one that fits that description of yours"

"Thank you... How much do I owe for this?"

"20 million American dollars"

"Done"

Sending a message to his accountant, he stare into the picture again, as if hoping that it will speak to him.

"Where are you Mexican... I need to see you dead..."

A knock came from the door and he pressed a button to allow entry.

"Boss... 'da dua orang cari kamu (there's two people here to see you)"

"Siapa (Who)?"

*5 minutes later*

"My name is Trung Le Nguyen, this is Mauga" the man said as he indicated his massive escort next to him.

Agong looked at Mauga with great interest, he has rarely seen a man of this size.

"Mauga? Samoan for mountain eh?"

Mauga merely grunted and paced around impatiently, as if impatient to crush something as he kept punching a fist into his other hand as he looked around, leaving the two men to sit across each other with a few tidbits between them.

"What do you want Mr Trung? I am a busy man"

"It has come to our attention that you are looking for a particular individual?"

"Oh yes, I take it you know where she is?" Agong said as he crossed his fingers, only those in the underworld would know that he is looking for someone and he can feel these visitors meant business.

"Currently no, but we do know where she will be in a few months"

Trung opened his suitcase and passed a few documents to Agong, where it revealed that the Mexican seem to be going to England every year with a local working internationally to visit another red headed local.

"We have information that these people are very close friends and she sees herself as their guardian, therefore we believe that if you find the red haired woman, it will increase your chances to find who you are looking for"

Agong did not change his expression as he pretends to read the documents. It's too easy. Far too easy.

"And why should I trust you?"

"You don't trust us? We came with a gift and you throw us out?!" Mauga shouted suddenly, causing both men to jump.

"Mauga please lower your vo-"

"NO! Enough waiting!"

Before they knew it, Mauga threw a punch towards Agong.

"Mauga stop! We need him!" Trung shouted but the punch landed with a crushing smack.

"Need me now do you?"

They stared in disbelief as Agong caught the punch. Mauga's mouth hang open as he began feeling tremendous pressure pushing back at him as Agong slowly stand and pushed the massive man back.

"You come into my home and expect me to just roll around and die?"

Agong threw a punch that sent the giant a few inches off the floor and followed up with another punch that knock him to the ground.

Trung sat shocked, he has never seen anyone that has ever took a punch from Mauga, let alone have the strength to fight back with near equal strength.

"So... What do you mean that you need me?" Agong said dangerously as he stood over Trung, who cleared his throat.

"Very well, since there is no point hiding now. We need your forces to join with ours to find this woman" he said as he pointed to the red haired woman.

"And if I say no?"

"Then you will never find who you are looking for"

Agong said nothing for a moment as he place a giant hand on Trung's shoulder, which caused the smaller man to pull out his pistol and point it straight into his face.

"There is no need for that, I'm just patting your shoulder"

"I've heard stories about what could happen when a man grabs a shoulder" Trung said as he maintain his aim at Agong's eye.

An uncomfortable silence stretch between the two men before Agong broke out a smile.

"If your men are as tough as you, I see no problem to join forces" he said as he let the man go and taking his seat across him again.

"Very well, shall we arrange a plan now?"

"Yes, and please tell your man to stop pretending, I know he has been holding back"

Mauga laughed boisterously as he stood up.

"I like you, I think we can do good business together, that's some punch you've got there" he said as he dusted himself and massaged his chin.

"That's some chin you got there" Agong complimented, laughing as he massage his knuckles.

"So you need me, therefore you need to pay for my services"

"What can you provide?"

"Myself and my best murderers"

"You will go yourself?" Mauga asked with respect.

"I will always be there to end my wars"

"Name your price"

"100 million American dollars"

Trung was taken aback, that is a tall order for a single squad.

"Take my word for it, my men will get the job done, especially when I'm there with them"

* * *

And that's it! The end of Act 1!

Thank you reader so much for being interested in my story, so far it has been a ton of fun.

For any of those wondering, this means that my FanFiction is a third way done as I plan to have 3 Acts (25 chapters each).

Looking forward to seeing you in Act 2 :)

PS. Some are confused about Anna in the previous chapter so I thought to clear it out here. No it is not Ana Amari. In full honesty I looked up common Italian names and picked the first one that I saw which happens to be Anna. So yeah that was a big whoops, I'll pick the names more carefully for future chapters hahaha


	26. Chp 26 - Act 2 - New Assignment

*Gibraltar: Watchpoint (4 months later)*

Heavy rains are becoming a norm at Watchpoint as December crept nearer. It is also during these times where most agents and staff disappears, leaving Watchpoint nearly defenseless as they go home to their families for the holidays, each injected with a tiny square battery where Athena will continue to monitor them and, if needed, stun them with a powerful shock if they say anything that is deemed sensitive.

The only ones left are Morrison, Genji, Angela, Winston, Mei, Lena and a few guards who were once criminals or orphans with nowhere else to go.

It was when Quillion saw McCree's name on the On Leave list when he felt relief for the first time in months. It had been a living nightmare under the "guidance" of McCree, as mission after mission he was thrown into some of the worst fighting with the worst tactics he has ever seen, some outright suicidal.

McCree seem to be accepting urgent missions at the worst of times as well. He barely had time to do clean himself up before he was called to active duty and each time he will return looking more and more disheveled, even earning the nickname 'Caveman'.

If it is not a mission, he would be dragged into the practice range or combat simulations so randomly that he swore that it has to be some sort of sick joke.

Despite the harsh treatment, he ungratefully admits that he has vastly improved, as each time he was thrown into battle with faulty or little intel, he was forced to be more creative with his tactics. The inhumane amount of training has improved his endurance and stamina to amazing levels, though McCree said it is nowhere near the levels of Morrison, but it allowed him one crucial ability.

He has activated his Battle Rage so frequently and, combined with improved endurance and stamina, he learned how to control any amount of adrenaline he needs at will, which he never thought was possible. Now he could push himself to his limits without suffering from vertigo effects.

As an added bonus, he was granted his own Private Quarter in Watchpoint despite not being an agent, but he knew the truth, his appearance and stench has been a rising complaint from the Barracks and Morrison decided to grant him the smallest Quarter available.

The moment McCree left yesterday, he immediately jumped into the bath and soaked himself in it for what seemed like hours, complete with a full shave, his old haircut, and even a full hot meal without anyone dragging him away at the most random of times.

Though he enjoyed his 'alone time', he could not help but feel a sting of jealousy for those who have families to return to as he watches from a platform above the hangar, counting the shuttles disguised as a civilian craft as they transport them to their designated locations.

"You're not taking leave?" he heard a gruff voice said.

He whipped around and saluted.

"No sir"

"At ease soldier" Morrison said as he leaned on the railing.

Quillion relaxed and leaned on the railing as well, watching the last shuttle leave the platform.

"I heard from McCree that the past few months you have served with distinction"

"I hope so sir"

Morrison chuckled at the answer, confusing the Private. He actually found something funny?

"Well, if you have nothing to do for the holidays. I have a mission for you"

"Ready and waiting sir"

"As you know many of our agents are leaving for the holidays and some of them are hunted by our enemies, though we took special care to keep them hidden during their leave, cracks are bound to appear"

Quillion nodded as he guessed what Morrison was asking him to do.

"So you want me to hunt them down first before they get to our agents?"

"No. I want you to be a bodyguard"

Hmm? Bodyguard?

"Who would I be guarding?"

"Lieutenant Oxton has specifically asked for you"

"Lena?"

Morrison looked at him for a moment before replying.

"Yes, Lena, is that a problem?"

"No sir" was the almost happy reply.

"May I give a word of advice?"

"Yes sir"

"In this line of business, do not get attached to anyone. The briefing is tomorrow at 0800"

His words hung heavily in his mind as Morrison walks away.

Over the past months Quillion had joined missions with multiple agents before Overwatch recognizes that his skillset fits perfectly with Lena.

They found that he could participate in a Shock and Awe attack that has been the centerpiece for many of Morrison's strategies as they became the typecast Assault Unit. The attack is labeled 'Zero Trace', which concerned him for a while because his name came before Lena's field name, but she assured him that it did not bother her in the slightest.

This attack requires tremendous amount of speed, accuracy, and trust for one another to be effective as they will basically be thrown headlong into the enemy in a pincer attack, penetrating their lines and destroying the leader as quickly as possible before the alarm can be raised.

The moment they are deployed, either against an invading or defensive army, he will immediately activate his Battle Rage and charge relentlessly into the enemy lines while Tracer will take the high ground, throwing Pulse Bombs to clear more clustered groups and causing untold chaos on her end.

The results of such unrelenting force was so fast and effective that they learned from intercepted messages, the Null Sector could not conclude if it was literally two attackers or a whole battalion. Regardless, they could not identify who or what has attacked them.

However, the attack is not perfect as they have been reminded that they are still fragile human beings. A lucky grenade or shot can still render either one immobile as they are lightly armored for maximum speed.

When this happens, they would need to hold off until reinforcement arrives as they are cut off, forcing them to see some of the fiercest battles they've ever been in, wholly relying on each other to survive.

With addition of teaching her how to play and sing the same song over and over again privately in her Quarters, he could not help himself but to grow more attracted to her with each passing day. They have seen each other at their strongest, celebrated each victory, laugh whenever they have the chance, and reviewed their missions together endlessly to improve.

Though they kept it professional, they have became very good friends and team mates.

Now he is going to be her bodyguard? That means he will have to be close! A whole holiday with her, would they bond outside the flames of battle? His mind began to race on the possibilities on what they could do. Would they have dinner together? Would they join a tour together? Would they...

Then a thought hit him. For this bodyguard duty he would require new gear, carrying his XM around is not exactly subtle.

"Good afternoon, how may I be of assistance?" the clerk called.

Quillion stared for a moment before resuming his stride, he was so used to the phrase 'Come get your armor' that he thought he entered the wrong room.

"I need something for a protection mission"

"Ahh..." the clerk said, looking at his clipboard "You are Private Zero correct?"

He nodded, wondering why he would be on the list.

"Master Engineer Torbjorn asked me to pass you this"

Passing a poorly wrapped box over the counter, Quillion noticed it had a bit of weight.

"He also said to open it in the range"

Nodding with thanks, he entered the range when he read the card on the gift.

_Laddie,_

_This is an early Christmas gift so don't expect anything else from me.  
__Just because I'm not there, don't think you can break my stuff!_

_Merry Christmas_

He opened the box and gave a whoop of joy.

"Thank you Torbjorn" he called out to no one.

The gift consists of two compartments, both contain accessories that would be perfect for his upcoming mission.

The left compartment has the following attachments: a suppressor, a laser sight, 4 magazines and a few rows of bullets.

But the right compartment reveals the main attraction.

It was his .55 Cal Revolver that he passed to Torbjorn for repairs after it had been snapped in half a few missions back, when he was forced to use it as a bar to seal a door long enough for him to set up a firing position in a hotel against some assassins while McCree has passed out from drinking.

Now it has been completely reconstructed into a beautifully crafted Semi-Auto. Its design is simple but yet attractive, a beautiful blend of black and grey, complete with everything a pistol needs. He laughed when he saw it even included a 'Get Wrecked' firing selection for him. Even the bullets have been improved, somehow lighter and pointier than usual.

Eager to test his new pistol, he familiarized himself with his new weapon before loading and pointing it down range, pleased to find it has been customized to fit his hand perfectly as he fired. Each shot reminded him of Torbjorn's skill in this craft as each shot would normally throw his aim into the air but now the recoil has been wonderfully reduced while it kept its stopping power.

Excited, he flipped the 'Get Wrecked' and set the targets to its highest speed setting as he activates his Battle Rage.

"Is the gift to your liking?" the clerk asked when Quillion exited.

"Oh yeah, best gift ever" he said as he walked out, a grin on his face.

"Alright, please wait as I inspect the range, Torbjorn asked me to check if you need to pay for any unnecessary damages"

The moment the clerk walked into the range, Quillion ran off as fast as he could.

* * *

*Venice*

The bridges are filled with lights dangling above it, different patterns littered across each bridges, illuminating the canals as the water reflects the lights. Tourists came in droves, rushing to the best angles the moment it is vacant for their pictures so they can upload it to whatever is the new social media trend.

Nowhere in Venice is as popular than St. Mark Square as endless crowds pour in, trying to fit the massive structure into their pictures. Restaurants and cafes are brimmed with customers as everyone needed a break from the crowd.

Despite the happy atmosphere, there is one woman who does not seem to share it, in fact she barely feels anything as she sat in a restaurant with a direct view at the cathedral with a blank look on her face, sipping her coffee as she patiently observes the crowd.

She has been prevented for a kill for so long that she uncharacteristically took on a job outside of Talon, almost desperate to feel the thrill of taking a life again. Her target is a frequent womanizer, a middle class family man who prefers to spend his nights with escorts rather than with his family, a hypocrite who is well liked in his religious circles. And the client is his wife.

Though she does not like the crowds, this is better than waiting on the rooftop, even if that means sitting in a public area. Placing herself in a position where she has the chance to miss her target will result to a more euphoriac kill, and she plans to make the most of it.

As she waited she has realized that for some strange reason, there is a very strange hint of de ja vu as she sat there which gives a sense of calm, a strange sense of familiarity. Everything felt familiar except for the live band.

She must've pondered it for quite some time as a waiter asked her to leave, but not before charging her a 1,000 Euro bill.

"A cup of coffee is 1,000 Euro?" she asked, amused that someone dares to try to scam her. Her of all people.

He did not even answer as he presented the menu under his arm, already knowing that every customer will argue about the bill, pointing to the bottom of the page which bears "Extra Charges" in the smallest print, the brunt of the cost "paying" for the live band.

"I do not think I will, I barely noticed they were even there" she said.

"You must pay for it, you entered and ate at our establishment" he said in a tired and bored tone.

"Bring me another coffee and I'll think about it"

Rolling his eyes, he snatched the menu back.

"You have 10 more minutes before you must leave"

When he return with their smallest cup, she is gone.

"Hey!" he shouted to no one as he looked around frantically for her, not knowing that she jumped over the grill and had long disappeared into the crowd the moment he turned around.

He should consider himself lucky, if she has not spotted her target, she would've killed him for fun instead.

Purposely positioning herself where he could see her, it was not long before her target took notice. Tearing himself away from what must be one of his many mistresses, he came over like a fly.

"My dear... I think you dropped this" he said, dangling a diamond necklace in front of her eyes that he 'picked' up from the floor.

He is tall, well-built, well-groomed, and dressed in expensive clothing. To many women he is the very definition of a lady killer.

Widowmaker had to stop herself from licking her lips, she cannot wait to end this man's life. His successes, his charm, his looks, all will render to nothing by her doing.

Accepting the necklace, she smiled and walked away to an alleyway that people rarely take. She kept her smile as she watch him follow her, coming closer to her web. When they are in a darker corner of the alley, she slowed her walk, allowing him to catch up.

"Hey now, that's far enough dear, my girlfriend will begin to wonder where I am" he said as he grabbed her arm.

She did not say anything as she turned around, slapping his hand away in a playful manner and looked at her meal.

"Silent type eh? Well that does not matter" he said as he run a hand through his hair, tidying up his already tidy hair.

"Do you regret anything?" she asked flatly, catching him off guard before he recollected himself.

"Well I regret not meeting you sooner my dear... Speaking of which... Mistletoe" he said as he pointed to it above her head.

"Don't you have a girlfriend?"

"Nah, for you baby, I'd dump her in a second"

He walked closer with hunger in his eyes and his heart thumped as he saw a similar hunger in hers as well.

"Stick with me from now on my sweet, I can take care of you"

He closed his eyes as he leaned forward to kiss her.

Heaving back her arm, she shot it forwards and her fist crashed into his face, his body immediately crumple to the ground from the attack and before he knew it, she stomped her feet onto his chest as she pulled out a pistol from her jacket.

Before he could even whimper for mercy, she hushed him with a finger to her lips. Her heart beats as a victim is completely under her mercy.

"You know what I hate the most cherie? An unloyal man. Your wife sends her regards"

Kicking upwards she felt a loud crack, the feeling of the broken neck sent shivers down her spine.

Oh how she missed this feeling, especially when she feels his heartbeat slow down to nothing.

She dragged his body and leaned it slumped against the wall as she takes his wallet, painting the scene as a violent mugging as per requested by the client.

As she walks back to the main street, an annoyance accompanied her since the kill, which is odd as all her prior kills makes her feel good, never once they gave a negative emotion, let alone annoyance.

"Why did I say unloyal man?" she asked herself as she reflects on her words.

Deep in thought she walked into a troop of carolers marching by.

"Oh sorry! Are you okay?" one of them ask.

She did not say anything as she continued walking.

"Merry Christmas to you and your family!" a child caroler shouted after her before resuming her march with the rest.

Family. A strange concept.

It took half an hour before she reached her destination and knock on a door. She heard a shifting of a chair and footsteps, then the door inched open, revealing a pale face woman peeking out of the small gap.

"Is it done? Is my husband..." she whispered when she saw the blue skinned woman.

Without saying anything, she handed over the wallet, causing the woman to cry when she recognize who it belonged to.

"Why would she be sad if she ordered the kill? Humans are so stupid" Widowmaker thought to herself.

But a strange thought invaded her mind at the sobbing woman. This is the first time she did not return to that graveyard...

She shook the thought out of her mind. Why would she connect that to this?

"H-how much do I pay you?"

In one smooth motion, Widowmaker stuck 2 fingers into the wallet and pulled out a 5 Euro note and waved it in front of the woman before walking away, ignoring her protest at such a meager sum.

Suddenly her heart throbbed, a deep pain began beating inside her as she is plagued with the face of the caroler, the sobbing woman, the dead face of the man, each repeating words that bombarded her with long forgotten emotions.

Family, Husband, Unloyal Man.

She began to panic, this has never happened to her before, she needs to go back to Headquarters immediately, she need to purge these feelings now.

Picking up her pace, she turned into a corner... And stopped dead in her tracks, she felt her already cold skin turn even colder at what she is seeing.

An unnatural cold, snowy wind blew around her where she stood. Before her is a gravestone covered in snow, which bore the words that haunted her every year. The words that compelled her to go back.

Gerard Lecrox.

The thrill of her very recent kill vanished in an instant, replaced with a strange feeling of longing. A strange longing to reach out into the grave of this Lecrox, a longing for something important that has been buried by her own hands that she could not recover.

Looking down she saw that she held a rose. As if possessed, she placed the rose in an almost loving way in front of the tombstone, even though she does not understand why.

Why couldn't she just dig up and find this important object that she buried and end this torment? Why does she kept paying respects to someone or something she does not remember? And who is this Gerard Lecrox that fixated her so? Was he her favorite victim? Was he her toughest assignment? What has this person done that scarred her so deeply?

A wave of sadness came as she pondered, she felt as if her eyes are trying to cry, an idea she scoffed at. She had shed all the tears she could shed, there are no more tears that will ever come out of her. She stood still, her eyes closed as she replace sadness with anger.

This man, this Lecrox must have done something terrible to her. So horrible that she has forgotten what it is. Yes a trauma that-

But then why would she place flowers?

"Signora, state bene? (Ms, are you okay?)" a voice behind her say.

Upon hearing those words, the cold winds stopped. She opened her eyes and saw that the tombstone vanished and in place of the rose is the 5 Euro.

Turning around she saw a policeman who spotted her standing alone in an alley, her back turned away from all the festivities.

She smiled at him, causing him to blush as she picks up the money and continued walking.

"What was that..." she thought.

*One hour later*

Perched on top of Saint Mark's Bascilica's inaccessible balcony, she tries to enjoy her gelato as she observes the crowd below her, trying to calm down by counting how many people she could have killed since she sat down.

After she licked her spoon, she flicks it to her right and it flew straight into Sombra's nose.

"You gotta tell me how you can always see me" she complained as she turns off her Stealth Device.

"You are sloppy" Widowmaker said as she pulls out another spoon to enjoy the rest of her dessert.

Sombra leaned against the wall and drops her Teleportation Device as a precaution as they both listen to the joyous music that fills the air.

"Why are you following me?"

"The question is, when did I start following?"

"Since I pass the wallet to the woman"

Sombra snorted in annoyance, lucky guess...

"Well I found out that you-"

"Hacked" Widowmaker corrected.

"Fine, I 'hacked' that you are doing small time assassinations, what's up with that?"

"I needed a distraction"

"The great Widowmaker is bored? I never thought I'd see the day, then I have good news, I have a mission for you"

"I do not take orders from you"

"You sure? You'd like this one"

Pressing a few air keys a picture flashed before them. It is a picture of a very handsome man in a suit, despite the stupid mustache, and his nametag bore the name...

Widowmaker tackled Sombra before she could react, fury driving her actions as she wraps her hands around her throat.

"Who is he? How did you know that name? How did you find him?"

Sombra tried to pry her fingers off but they were like steel, digging deeper into her throat, this is the first time she saw such anger from the assassin.

"Tell me now or I'll break you neck" Widowmaker seethed, her fingers tightening, almost uncaring if she gives an answer or not.

In a purple flash she disappeared and reappeared next to her and threw a kick that landed into Widowmaker's stomach, stunning her for a moment. Before she could attack, Sombra pointed her MP7 at her face.

"Now that I have your attention... I need you to do something for me..." she gasped, massaging her throat.

"Who is that man? Who is he?" Widowmaker snarled.

"You do me a few favors and I'll give you everything I have on him, everything you need on him I have it right here" Sombra said as she brandishes her fingers, all the data she has ever hacked stored in them.

Widowmaker looked at the picture again, memorizing the picture carefully into her mind. For now she will only have the face for the name on the tombstone.

"What do you want me to do?"

"First... You'll need to go back to base and spar with SS28 and Sigma"

Sombra holstered her weapon and watch Widowmaker cautiously as she slowly stands.

"Was it you?" she said with venom in her voice.

"What?" Sombra asked back.

"Did you make the grave appear? Was it you?"

"I think I knocked you a bit too hard eh? With a heart that slow it's a wonder how you even function"

Widowmaker observes Sombra carefully and there are no lies that she could detect in her eyes.

In one smooth and quick motion that made Sombra jump, Widowmaker shot her grappling hook onto a structure above them and swing away.

Sombra sat down and began playfully hacking the devices of the crowd below her.

"All according to plan" she thought to herself.


	27. Chp 27 - Disagreements

*Gibraltar: Meeting Room*

"As a reminder, the only active agents who will remain on the base are myself, Genji, Angela, Winston, and Mei" Morrison added after the hour-long briefing.

Everyone nodded in acknowledgement, relieved that it is over. Poring through so much details so close to the holidays has always been an exhausting activity.

"I would like to request not to be put into combat duties" Mei said timidly.

"No, I need everyone here to be available in case something happens, especially after what happened at Volskaya"

Mei looked downcast and Winston gave Morrison a look.

"But... As you are in our science division, we will call upon you when no one else is available as Genji requested that you remain in the labs to finish the project he has set for you" he added quickly in the end, cheering her up in the process.

"Any other questions?"

Everyone shook their heads, eager to leave.

"Very well, Lieutenant Oxton and Corporal Zero, stay back. The rest of you are dismissed"

They waited until everyone left the room before he shut the door.

"Right, to business then... Lena, I have granted your request to have Quillion to be your bodyguard" he said.

"Yay! Looks like you're coming with me luv!" she said happily, causing him to blush slightly. At least he hope is slightly.

"Is there anything I need to know sir?" Quillion asked.

"You will be given our standard equipment for bodyguard duties and here is the file, look through it now and let us know if you have any questions"

The file contains codewords, procedures and the mission objective.

"All pretty standard" he thought to himself.

Then he saw that the number of people he is protecting is two instead of one.

"I think this is a mistake? This should be one instead of two"

Morrison shook his head.

"No, you are assigned to protect two people, one is Lena and the other is Emily"

"Ok, who is Emily? Your sister? Cousin?" Quillion asked Lena, who looked annoyed that the file mentioned two persons.

"Oh? You didn't tell him?" Morrison asked curiously.

"Huh? What is he talking about? Why did he ask the question like that?" Quillion thought, a strange sick feeling began to grow in his stomach.

"I guess since that's on the table, I should let you know properly" Lena sighed.

"Emily is my girlfriend and I visit her every 2 years in London"

At first Quillion felt nothing, but soon he felt a little sick. Girlfriend?

Despite this revelation, he remained calm and collected. Now is not the time to freak out. Wait... Why would he freak out? It's not like they're together.

"Jack and Winston were kind enough to keep her identity a secret and provided her with some protection from Overwatch"

"Your mission is simple. Shadow them and handle anything that could compromise their identity and protect them from harm. Other than that, enjoy yourself, I hear London's decoration is pretty good this year" Morrison summarized.

Quillion said nothing for a second before smiling.

"Sounds like this is going to be fun"

Glad to see his reaction, Lena punched him playfully on the shoulder.

"Yeah! That's the spirit!"

"But why are we using commercial flights? I thought we could just use our shuttles?"

"England has tripled its security measures since the Null Sector attacked Paris and Algeciras, so flying from Korea is your best entry. Our sponsor, Ms Song, is kind enough to assist us with your itinerary" Morrison said.

"Well I gotta go pack, we leave tomorrow!" Lena said happily as she blinked away.

Not wanting to be left alone with Morrison, Quillion quickly gathered his things but he was too slow.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm good"

"And you're lying"

Quillion stopped and looked at him.

"Permission to speak frankly?"

"Granted"

"Are you not eating your own words sir? First you told me not to get attached and now you're letting Lena run around London with her girlfriend"

"It is necessary that she has Emily by her side now, if you do not know the reason why, I do not think you should allow your feelings to cloud your judgement"

"They won't sir, I can promise you that" Quillion said sincerely.

Morrison studied him for a moment before passing Quillion a thumb drive.

"A map of the city, codewords, our safehouse location, etc. Study it and formulate your own routes. As long as they are safe by the end of the mission"

"May I ask, what will you guys do when we are all away?"

"Back in the old days we will send agents to places where attacks could happen during Christmas, but now we can only monitor the war in Russia"

"How is that going?"

Morrison's mood darkened.

"Nothing you need to worry about now"

* * *

*Venice: Talon Base*

"I am disappointed Gabriel, you had them in your grasp" Moira said as she injected some strange fluids into Reaper's arm.

He did not say anything as he felt the familiar pain that always accompanies his recoveries burn his veins.

"You are lucky that one of our agents found you when he did" she continued.

"Maybe if you can make me fly this wouldn't be a problem" he growled.

"I am a scientist, not a magician, it is already a miracle that you can bend your body at will to slither around, let alone fly"

"How long until I will be ready for combat?"

"Knowing you, probably within the day"

The crack of a gunshot rang across the room, causing Reaper to form his weapon and point it towards the door.

"That was Widow's Kiss, why is it firing?"

"She is sparring with SS28 and Sigma"

"Sparring? She never trains anyone that she calls amateurs"

He notice Moira has a strange prideful smile stretch across her face at those words.

"Apparently my creation is no amateur. Let's go and have a look" she said.

A short distance away down the hall, the sound of gunshots grew louder, which attracted a crowd who had gathered to watch the spectacle.

Even from the distance, they could see Widowmaker zipping through the air between 3 pillars while firing her weapon, never staying at one spot for more than a few seconds. When they got close enough, an impressive sight met their eyes.

Each shot from Widow's Kiss are being deflected as if they are mere annoyances rather than threats. Jumping through the air, SS28 charged with little to no concern for her safety, her movements confident and absolute, while Sigma threw boulders rapidly while absorbing her shots.

Despite their efforts, Widowmaker glided through the air gracefully, her movements controlled and it is clear that despite facing two powerful opponents, she is the one in control of the fight.

"Apparently your pet project is a success" Reaper said as he observes SS28.

"Indeed, increased speed, increased toughness, I think the only ones who are a match for her head to head in combat are you and…"

"Enough" a voice called out, stopping their spar immediately.

"This is too easy for all of you, you will never improve" Doomfist said as he walks into the training field. Everyone looked on in awe as they realize he has taken off his shirt and is equipped with his iconic gauntlet.

"Come at me, all of you, do not hold back" Doomfist challenged, a grin across his face as he casually walks into the sparring floor.

Immediately SS28 charged at him with little hesitation, slashing at him with her claws, which Doomfist blocks calmly. At first it looked as if she had the advantage as she intensifies her attacks, but soon everyone witness that he was slowly gaining ground at a steady pace.

Seeing this, Sigma launched a makeshift boulder towards him, hoping to reset the pace of the fight back to SS28's advantage. Seeing the boulder, Doomfist spun around and obliterate it with his gauntlet while his other arm smacked SS28 on the side of her head, sending her flying across the room.

Without stopping, he completed his spin with his left fist, shooting at Sigma with his Hand Cannon, who quickly absorbed it to add additional metal to his armor. But it was all a ruse.

While he was focused on attaining more metal, Doomfist's flew towards him with surprising speed. Unable to react, Sigma let out a shout of pain as he was met with a fully charged punch from his opponent, knocking him out immediately as he slammed into the wall.

SS28 launched herself back at him and Widowmaker took this opportunity to fire a shot.

In a flash Doomfist launched himself into the air with an uppercut, knocking SS28 towards Widowmaker, who immediately used her grappling hook to escape. Predicting her path, the Talon leader met her in midflight and grabbed her by the throat and sent her skyrocketing down to the ground.

Everyone recoiled as they expect a crash... Which never came. Looking up they saw Doomfist just stopped short from crushing Widowmaker, instead he just let her go, dropping her to the ground.

"Disappointing, I expected more from all of you" he scoffed.

The onlookers watched in amazement at this performance, it was so flawless, so brutal, but yet so calculated. Each man secretly wishes to spar Doomfist at least once, to feel the power gap for themselves, however, they knew that even if he would agree to a spar, they would not be alive long enough to give their thanks.

"Go to the medical bay, I have a mission for all of you when you recover" he said simply as he walked off.

Reaper growled in frustration. As much as he has confidence in his own abilities, he hated the fact that he is no match for the Talon Leader.

"What mission is he talking about?"

"I do not know" Moira said as she watch the defeated agents begun making their way towards her medical bay.

"Do not worry, you are invited as well" Sombra said behind them.

"Me? Why would I need to go?" Moira asked curiously.

"I'm sure it's because someone needs to… Control that pet of yours"

Moira glared at her before she simply faded away to attend to the injured.

"Heard you got pretty banged up in Russia, so I suppose that's the second time you failed?"

"In case you've forgotten, it was because of you that Volskaya is still alive" Reaper growled.

"Details… So, I suppose you are going back to Russia to finish the job?"

"Why are you asking" Reaper said as he stepped forward threateningly towards Sombra, who backed off. As confident as she is, she knows better than to be on Reaper's bad side.

"Never mind, just trying to be friendly" she said sarcastically as she walks off.

"Reaper, I have another assignment for you" Doomfist said as he walks towards him.

"I'll see if I can slip it into my schedule" Reaper said threateningly, his pride still ache from the last time they met.

"I do not trust that Sombra, I would like you to keep tabs on her"

"I am not your dog, go find someone else that will do your dirty work"

Everyone held their breath as Doomfist clenched his gauntlet, electricity crackling across it with dangerous intent.

"Do I need to remind you who is in charge here?" he asked with venom in his voice.

"Would you care to tell me?" Reaper said, forming his Hellfire Shotguns and pointed them at the Talon leader.

Nobody moved, nobody dared. Dread filled each onlooker as they waited for either men to do something, all of them wish to run out of the room but burning curiosity rooted them in place.

Who would be the victor? Which of their two most powerful fighters would win if they clash? Will it be the black mercenary who hunts ex-Overwatch agents? Or the towering Talon leader who punched his way out of maximum prison?

In a gold flash, Doomfist propelled his fist towards Reaper with killing intent. With matching speed, Reaper changed the trajectory at the last second by shooting it as he dodged, while the other he shot at the exposed stomach of Doomfist, which would have severely wounded him if it was not knocked away by his free hand.

Angered, Reaper quickly formed another shotgun and laid down an ever increasing hail of bullets at his opponent, which was promptly blocked by his gauntlet. With no movements wasted, Doomfist threw an uppercut that was so narrowly avoided that the onlookers looked for Reaper's body in the air before realizing that he has entered his Wraith form to avoid it.

Lodging his fingers into a pillar, Doomfist watched and waited as he prepares for his next attack. Reaper took refuge behind another pillar where he prepares to counter when he could no longer maintain as a wraith, throwing away both shotguns, he formed a long forgotten weapon.

The gold gauntlet came down like a meteor, shattering the pillar as if it was made of legos, and a crater formed where he landed. Reaper jumped away at the last second before launching a grenade straight at Doomfist, who was not expecting such an attack, blowing him into the last pillar.

Reaper dropped to his knees, grunting in pain as he nursed his ankle. Though he managed to dodge the Meteor Strike, the tremor of the force itself have sprained his feet. This would not have happened if he did fallback to the Hellfire Grenades as they took up too much of his powers to use consistently.

But this is not the time to feel pain. He knows the fight is not over yet. There is a reason why Doomfist is the leader.

His caution is rewarded well as Doomfist stood up, bruised but not defeated. With an angry roar, he grabbed the pillar that he flew into and snapped it in half like a toothpick before spearing it towards Reaper.

Quickly gathering the remains of his power, Reaper shot another grenade, blowing it apart into harmless rubble before casting it aside and formed back his shotguns.

Not willing to give Reaper any breathing room, Doomfist charged at Reaper who quickly resumed his attack. Everyone looked in awe as they witness Doomfist is just as nimble and he is strong. No longer fooling around, he dodged each shot with relative ease as his gauntlet cackled with electricity again, obviously preparing for the final punch.

Reaper has one more trick up his sleeve, an attack he has saved for this very moment. Just as Doomfist closed the distance, black smoke filled the room, causing many Enforcers to dart for cover when they realize what the Black Mercenary is about to do.

Just before either man can execute their final attack, the sound of the alarm pierced through the chaos, announcing:

"Phase 2 has begun, we have confirmation that Phase 2 has begun"

These words stopped the two fighters in their tracks. They stared at each other for a moment before slowly lowering their weapons.

"Shall we continue this another time?" Doomfist ask politely.

Without answering, Reaper turned around and made his way to the Medical Bay, doing his best not to show that he is limping.

"Logistician!" Doomfist shouted at the crowd, making them all jump.

A man ran up and saluted.

"Phase 2 is now operational, make sure every soldier in Russia eats from our crates and only from our crates"

"On-only from our crates? S-s-s-orry sir but we do not have the funding for that" the man protested.

"I have made arrangements, you will get your funding from Egypt, Maximilien will personally oversee this"

"W-what if the other companies will not be bought off?"

Doomfist looked down at the terrified man.

"Make. Them."

* * *

*Vence: Doomfist's Office*

"Idiots" Doomfist said to himself, sipping on a drink he just made.

"Weak... Each of them... But that will end soon"

He looked at the floating gauntlet before him.

"How would you have felt about this Akinjide? That your pupil has become far more powerful than you could ever be"

Next to the gauntlet is a picture of his family, the last picture they took as a family before the Omnic Crisis ripped them apart.

He remembered the heat of the flames, the screams that echoed around him. He was just a boy.

The Null Sector came like the plague, destroying everything in their path.

He remembered being dragged by his father as they ran pass the military blockade. The roar of battle rang in his ears as they ran. He does not remember how far they ran, but they ran.

Then it happened.

Adhabu Ngumi, the First Doomfist, rocketed into battle from the air, destroying a scores of machines with a single punch.

However, the blockade behind them did not hold for more than a few minutes and every attempt by Doomfist to stop the Null Sector evaporated as the soldiers flee for their lives, leaving him as the only line of defense, which the Null Sector promptly ignored.

This was when a plasma bolt exploded behind him, causing him to fall to the ground.

His parents stopped and turned around for him but before they could even reach out, they were both mercilessly gunned down by the advancing machines.

Seeing their dead bodies threw the young boy into despair. In a rage he attacked a passing Slicer and lost his left arm when he attempted to wrestle it to the ground.

This would have been the end of him if it were not for Doomfist who saw him and punched the Slicer into oblivion before quickly picking him up and escaped the battle.

Young Ogundimu was inspired by such heroism, but soon brought him anger and shame. If only the military was stronger his parents would not have died. If he did not lose his balance over a small explosion, they would still be alive. If only he was strong enough he would have avenged his parents.

He learned something that day. He learned that without power, humanity will always be weak. Without pain, there could never be power. This led him to be an avid reader of Nietzsche and he gained some influence.

But it is never enough.

Though his father's business flourished under his leadership after he took over, no amount of money can fill the void of his need for more power. He learned that money will never give him the strength he desires.

That was when he met Akinjide Adeyemi, who introduced him to Talon and it was there he earned the gauntlet from his cold dead hands to becoming the Third Doomfist.

Talon provided him the chance to fix that. It is in Talon where he can gain the power to create more power.

The First Doomfist is known as the Savior, his mentor, the Second Doomfist is known as the Scourge.

Since he is known as the Successor, he had decided to succeed what the Savior could not. That man did not recognize that the Null Sectors are trying to save humanity, not destroy it. Humanity needs monsters, not heroes.

The Savior failed to save humanity by making them weak.

This time, under his vision, humanity will grow more powerful than ever before.

And he will become its true Savior by destroying the very foundations that made it weak. Then from the ashes, only the strong will survive.

* * *

I have created a forum for your participation :)

In the forums I have the answer to some of the questions that you have asked that I've decided to make public that I think everyone will benefit from and a place where everyone can share their thoughts if you so choose to.

Forum Name: Adventures of Quillion0

If you could not find it, the link is in my Profile where I am able to post the link.


	28. Chp 28 - Deep Scars

*Gibraltar: Hologram Room*

"Let's run Situation L again" Quillion said, his voice echoed in the large room.

"Very well"

King's Row appeared around him with arrows shown as pathways pointing to various alleys or streets on the ground, each carefully studied to raise the probability of a successful extraction in case a gas attack occurs.

"I do not think that this situation is probable" Athena said to Quillion as he runs the course.

"We must be prepared for most situations"

"Corporal Zero, if I may, I believe your mind is not truly focused on the task at hand"

He smiled in amusement, how would an AI know that?

"How so?"

"According to your previous habits, you are satisfied with only 5 possibilities and counter measures, now you have reached the 12th, I believe that you are looking for distractions"

"What a nosy AI" he thought to himself.

"Well, this is my first bodyguard mission so I have to be extra careful"

"Are you sure this is not regarding to the revelation of Lieutenant Oxton's relationship?"

He stopped running and the room flashed red as the gas caught up to him, freezing the simulation.

"Now why would you even suggest that?"

"Your behavior has changed since the meeting"

"Why would you keep track of that?"

"Because I calculate the probability of success for each agent by studying their current behaviors"

Quillion leaned back in amazement under the largest statue, technology has truly advanced dramatically since he was frozen.

"So what is my probability of success?"

"At this moment, there is a high probability, however, if your emotions continues to deteriorate, I will need to ask the Commander to replace you as a bodyguard"

"Well I'll be sure not to fail your standards then"

"What standards?" Lena said behind him, causing him to jump.

"Nothing" he said a little too quickly, causing her to stare.

"Athena, what are you two talking about?"

Quillion was about to quickly give another command to stop Athena in case she said something that he didn't want Lena to hear, but the AI responded.

"We were discussing the standard probabilities of success for each situation, we are currently at situation L"

Huh? Did the AI just cover for him?

Lena looked around her and he noticed her complexion became tense, for a split second he thought he saw fear in her eyes as she stares at the statue above him before she quickly blinked to the control panel, turning off the simulation.

"Quil, I don't think there would ever be a gas attack in London!"

"Corporal Zero feels it is important to be ready for most situations"

"Well… I suppose, but this is too much! We are going for vacation, not a warzone!" Lena exclaimed.

"I…" Quillion tried to speak but unable to find words.

"Common, England is a safe place, stop overthinking it, why do you think Emily's there?" she said.

Emily. That name again. Why does it annoy him to hear it?

"Yeah I suppose, how long have you two known each other?"

"Why would that matter?" she said, the tone of her voice becoming defensive.

"Corporal Zero requires that information to help him better understand his clients so he could enhance his planning"

What is going on? Why is Athena helping him?

"And as I said before, London is safe, anyway, I'm just here to remind you that you can't bring your rifle into England so you'll need to find a replacement"

"Ahh yes, it is in the reports, which is a pity, she's gonna be lonely here, good thing Tobjorn gave me my present early" he said, pulling out his new pistol in hopes it will impress her, but she ignored it.

"I'm sure 'she' needs a vacation too"

With that Lena blinked away, probably back to her room to pack.

"Thanks Athena… Why did you cover for me?" Quillion said as he let out a sigh of relief.

"Winston asked me to provide you with some assistance with unimportant issues if possible, especially after your last mission with Jesse McCree"

"Oh ok, yeah thanks" he said, shuddering as the memory of him running away from the Deadlock Gang dressed as a woman so that McCree could sneak in to steal 'very important stuff', which later turned out to be a bottle of moonshine.

"Is it true? That in the previous mission McCree had to save you as you were running away from a herd of stampeding bulls in the nude through a town?"

"Run away fro- Who said that?!" Quillion snapped.

"McCree"

"No it was… I… You know, some things are better left unanswered..." he finished lamely, unable to break the promises he made to McCree months ago, which he wished he could just break it just once... Then he realized that the truth is no better than the lie either.

"Affirmative, would you like to run the course again?"

"Before we continue, I gotta say, you are more like a human than an AI"

"Thank you, I am sure Winston will be pleased to hear it, even though I will never be truly human"

"You're getting there" Quillion yawned as he stretched out his arms.

"Unlikely, I am programmed to be entirely loyal to Overwatch and I will never become "lazy" as humans describe it, therefore, I can never be truly a free agent like a human"

Quillion couldn't argue with that, though this reminded him about his deal with Morrison months before, how his loyalty will stay true as long as they are considered as the "good guys" in his book.

"Shall we run through each Situation again?"

"Very well, bring up A" Quillion said as he ready himself at the starting point.

*Hours later*

Night must have fallen when Quillion is finally satisfied with his work, with hundreds of probabilities and thousands of pathways, it will take Athena a few hours to download it into his tablet.

Walking back to his quarters for a much-needed rest, he heard the sounds of a guitar coming from Lena's room. They were the only 2 left in this part of Watchpoint, which was good as she can now play it as loudly as she wants.

"Huh, she really likes that song" he thought to himself when he recognizes that it is the song he taught her for weeks now. Feeling somewhat proud of himself as she can play this almost flawlessly, he entered his room. Today has been a good day.

With everything prepared so well, he has absolutely no worries and all that's left is excitement. He has only been to London once before and from Athena's simulations, it has changed beyond recognition.

A statue of some important Omnic figure named Monda-something, new structures have been made while keeping the cultural integrity, even the Borough Market has seen some sort of facelift. Plenty of things for him to add to his sketch book.

After a shower and changing into a simple shirt and shorts, he lay on his bed, embracing its comfort as he reminds himself to never take it for granted again, another lesson McCree taught him through their "missions".

As he was about to drift to sleep, a scream pierce through the quiet hallways.

"Lena?!" he shouted as he jumped off the bed, grabbing his pistol next to his bed and ran to her door.

"Athena! Open the door!" he shouted as he tried to open the locked door.

She said something that he could not hear as another scream pierced from her room, this time he heard something breaking.

Upon hearing that, he made a desperate decision.

"Stay away from the door!" he shouted.

Angling his pistol, he shot the lock of the door, praying that the bullet will not ricochet and hit her. Once the lock is out of the way he forced his way in, where a sight made his heart stop.

Her room looked as if it has been ransacked, the chair and table has been thrown aside and the bed is upturned. There was no one but Lena in the room, who is crouched down in the corner in a fetus position, her head buried deep in her arms as she screams into them.

"Lena... Wha..."

"It should've been me... It should've been me..." she chanted, terrifying Quillion.

"Athena! What is wrong with her?" he asked desperately.

"Her trauma has been triggered, I am contacting Angela now"

Trauma? He has been here for months and never once she behaved this way.

"Lena!" he heard Angela shouted as she flew towards them.

"Angela!" she sobbed, running quickly into his arms, sobbing into her chest.

"It's okay Lena... It's okay..." Angela said, trying to comfort her.

"No! You don't understand! I should've been me! Everything would've worked out if it was me!"

Quillion stood there still as a statue, not knowing what to do. He has never seen Lena like this.

"Wh... What can I do?" he asked numbly.

"You can go back to your room, there is nothing much we can do now" Angela said as Lena held onto her tightly.

Reluctantly he exited her room, the feeling of uselessness riddled him as he stood outside, unwilling to go back to his room. He leaned on the wall outside as he continue to hear her frighten whimpers and Angela saying something to her.

"I see that you found out" Winston said as he walked towards him.

"Why? What happened to her?" Quillion asked.

"Failure, one that is catastrophic to her mind"

Quilloin stared, never did he imagine that she is even capable of failure, let alone one that scarred her like this.

"She said it should've been her, what does that mean?"

Winston made sure the door is fully shut before answering.

"Athena told me that you have done simulations that included Kings Row today?"

Quillion nodded.

"That was where Lena suffered her greatest defeat from her rival"

"What happened?"

"I'm sure you are familiar with an Omnic named Mondatta?"

The name sounded familiar... Then he realized it is the Omnic which the statue was built in honor to.

"It has something to do with this?"

"He is the source of her trauma"

"Why?"

"He was the last voice to mend the wounds that were created by the First Omnic Crisis, Lena happened to be there when he gave one of his many speeches"

"Talon sent their best assassin to take him out and Lena took it upon herself to protect Mondatta... But she failed. His death gave the Null Sector the perfect rallying call for a revolt in Kings Row, one which Overwatch stopped"

"I've read about that, it was successful wasn't it?"

"Unfortunately no... After the events in Kings Row, another uprising rose in Russia and it seems to be getting worse"

"So... Lena blames herself for causing the Second Omnic Crsis?"

"Correct"

"But… Does not seem like it is her fault, Talon and the Null Sector are the main cause of this"

"We have told her many times that it is not her fault that Mondatta was killed, but she does not listen"

"So what can we do?"

"Do not mention Mondatta or King's Row around her from now on"

Stunned at this revelation, he nodded as Angela exits her room.

"She has calmed down now, we should let her rest"

"Can she fly tomorrow?" Winston asked.

"Probably not, it is unfortunate she has a panic attack now, but she must go, she needs to rest and going back home will be helpful for her"

"What should I do if this happens again?" Quillion asked.

"Be there for her, that is all we can do" Angela said.

* * *

*Russia: Novo-Ogaryovo*

Winter. One of Russia's greatest natural barriers against invading armies, is now becoming less of a threat against the Null Sectors, to the dismay of Russia's children.

The Null Sector armies have begun perfecting their warming capabilities and have been increasing their attacks with each passing week, lasting longer in the blizzards as they pushed against the Russian lines again and again, and though they have been pushed back each time, it has taken a toll for the Russian soldiers.

The Russians have effectively trapped the entire Null Sector army in the city of Perm, encircling the city in both the North and Southern parts of the river. Once it was the leading industries for machinery and resources for the Motherland, now the Omnics has completely took over and made it into a mega industrial site for their armies.

Most of the soldiers have not been rotated out from the front because of the blizzards and the constant battles prevented reliable transports back to more secure zones of the battlefield. This endless vigilance combined with the cold begun breaking the men.

When their food and water begun showing up frozen, it is the final straw for the men. Threatening rebellion and desertion, High Command struggled to supply the basic necessities to the front, but every effort ends in disaster.

"Reports from the front has verified that the food and drinks are still frozen upon delivery despite the new materials we used to seal the supplies" a Major General reported.

Panic rose from the table, most of them are just low ranking officers who have been promoted when their predecessors all died off randomly throughout the war. Most of them accepted the post because they thought they could just follow the previous procedures and get a fat paycheck.

They were wrong.

Ever since the Russian hero Zarya left the front, the war swung to the Null Sector's favor.

The attack in Volskaya's Industries which led to her hospitalization and the cancellation of the parade has been damaging to the morale for both the army and the people.

Every day the Null Sector inched closer towards high population areas, prodding the perimeter that surrounded them endlessly. To make matters worse, they could not even deliver proper food and water to the troops.

"A representative from Vishkar Corporation has called, he claims he could solve our current crisis" a General said.

"Ok, bring him up"

Pulling in a large screen and ensure that the translator is ready before accepting Sanjay Korpal's call.

"Good day gentleman, I will be brief. We have received your order for Hard Light crates and your shipment is ready"

"About time! Send them over now!" one man cried out, earning the annoyed stare of other commanders.

"You sure that your crates will prevent the food and water from freezing?"

"Not only that, your soldiers can use them as makeshift defenses because the material is still hard light" Sanjay said confidently, earning many nods from the generals.

"So this will be delivered to everyone in the front line?" one asked excitedly.

"Yes, this will solve your food problems and more"

"Good! Send them over now and –"

"Stop" a voice called out.

Everyone looked at the most senior officer among their ranks, the Army General who is considered incompetent by his peers but he undoubtly holds the most experience amongst them.

"You many only send the shipment to our reinforcing lines and we can deliver the food ourselves to the front, you have never supplied to military operations before so you can understand our caution"

"Let us be rational here, most of your suppliers have left and I'm the only one who can help you"

"Careful Sanjay, you do not want to threaten us" the Army General shot back.

"My apologies, that was not my intention"

"General! We need our supplies to the front now!" an officer cried out desperately, which was followed by others.

"We must stay calm and-"

"There is no time for calm! We have to take action now!"

The Army General looked at the desperate faces around him and the increased shouting, he realized that he cannot control this band of idiots any longer. Seeing that he lost the command structure, he made his decision.

"Very well... Proceed with the deliveries to the front" he said, feeling relieved at the cheers from the table.

"Thank you" Sanjay said before cutting the call.

* * *

*India: Vishkar Corporation*

"Thank you"

Sanjay sat back against his chair, hands behind his head, grateful that Reaper made this possible. He was not joking when he said he made sure that the new leaders are selected out of desperation.

He dreamed of the day Vishkar will be destroyed and the first step is official. Once it goes bankrupt, he can buy its assets and rebrand it into his vision on how it should truly be. Instead of buildings and security, war engines and weapons will be produced.

Doomfist may think that no one will profit from causing a global conflict, but he is too naïve, only those with money will win wars, and he plans to be ahead for the coming war.

"Mr Korpal, the Omnic is calling"

"Transfer the call"

Maximilien showed up on screen, adjusting his suit again to ensure there will be no unnecessary creases.

"Good day Mr Korpal, I trust that we are proceeding with the deal?"

"Yes, so how are we going to do this?"

"I have just bought multiple businesses in Egypt where your main funding will be sourced from"

"Excellent, how much do I have access to?"

"Enough"

Sanjay paused for a moment, expecting a figure from Maximilien but he stayed silent, staring back at him silently.

"Enough what?"

"You will have enough"

"I'll need a figure Maximilien"

"Only I will know the figures, no one else"

"Wait no, that is not acceptable! How can I do business without know how much I have to work with?"

"I have already said that it will be enough"

Sanjay could not believe his ears, how could he work under these conditions? Maximilien remained still as a statue before speaking again.

"May I ask why do you need the funds? Apparently you require a large sum, am I to assume you wish to focus on profit from the upcoming chaos?"

"Of course not! You think I'm doing this for the money? I just want to... To destroy Vishkar" he finished in a quiet voice.

"Then you have nothing to worry about when I say you will have enough"


	29. Chp 29 - Agong's Harimau

*Malaysia: Somewhere in the Jungle*

Behind the Agong's Mansion is the backyard, which is nothing more than a 500 acre of forest that has been compounded by a giant electrified fence. Within this fully airconditioned part of the jungle, there is a massive training field.

Every year Agong will buy hundreds of boys from the black market (which caused some to speculate he is a pedophile), and throw them into this area where only the strongest may survive, but even then, there is no guarantee as literal thousands have been buried.

Those that survived and reach 25, they will go through one more screening process, which is considered the one with the most fatalities. They will each go through intense torture for a full month and within this time, it was told that their only hope to escape is to pledge allegiance to Agong and this is their baptism. Not many will survive.

The survivors are the people he is visiting today, all 12 of them.

"How are my children doing?" Agong asked, wearing nothing but a silk robe, he slowly inspects the group of the finest murderers and killers he has ever invested standing before him.

Their reputation is non-existent to the general public, but they are legendary amongst the most well informed of crime lords, who are envious that Agong has access to this quality in a non-existent country.

Each man has been shaven bald, medium build, and has been forbidden to have tattoos of any kind, and their fingerprints have been seared off. All of them are also dressed with a white shirt, black jacket and pants, complete with a red tie.

Many concluded that their creation has been heavily influenced by an ancient game called "Hitman" that the Agong used to play as a child.

"What is our mission?" the leader asked, identified by a gold earring at his right ear.

"We are going after the woman who almost killed your father's life. What happens to those who wants to kill Daddy-Agong?"

"Death" they echoed, dropping to one knee in reverence before him.

"Some of you served my father and you succeeded. The rest passed my tests... Now I ask you to guarantee my safety as we hunt those who wish to destroy us"

"We shall" they chorused, remaining on the ground, their heads bowed.

"Rise my children"

They stood up in unison, almost as if they are machines. But machines can be hacked. However, a man with a conditioned mind mixed with religion? Unbreakable.

"Overwatch... An old relic has returned to the world... And they are our prey"

"They are our prey" they echoed.

"And who are you?"

"We are the Agong's Harimau (Tiger), and the Harimaus (Tigers) will devour Agong's enemies"

"These are the faces of your prey"

Agong held up a picture of that Sombra planted from their last meeting.

"The Mexican. The British. The Redhead" Agong said, pointing to each of them, the Tigers following with vengeance in their eyes.

"We have some friends that will be the bait in England but I expect they will betray us at any given moment, so I need all of you to be prepared"

They nodded silently, an unnecessary reminder as betrayal is as common as breathing in their profession.

"It has also come to my attention this British is the 'Biru Hantu (Blue Ghost)' who attacked one of my drug den months ago, then the Mexican came and destroyed almost all of my dens. My children... It is time we strike back"

The Tigers gritted their teeth in anger, how dare anyone attack their beloved master so harshly and remain unpunished?

"Calm my children... Calm... We leave for London tonight, we will find and study their behavior first, then you can unleash your wrath upon my enemies"

"But first, prove yourself to me that you have not been slacking"

Fear and concern flashed across each Tiger, slacking? Have they failed him somehow?

"My new friends were very kind to provide me with some toys for you, Enforcers they call them, about oh... 15? Yes 15 of them are waiting for you outside. Show me why I should use you instead of them"

Without responding nor waiting, all of them immediately exited the room, each eager to prove themselves worthy to their master.

Agong sat down on the chair and casually lights himself a cigar as gunfire and screams filled the air as he pulled out a gold pocket watch, wondering how long would it take for them to kill 30 Enforcers who are waiting for them under his instructions.

It only took 2 minutes before the Tigers returned, some bruised but mostly unharmed. The leader was the last to come in, dragging in a bloodied Enforcer and kicking him to the ground before Agong and ripping off his helmet.

Counting their numbers and to his displeasure only 10 stood before him now.

"So... How did my Tigers do?" Agong asked, puffing his cigar.

"You will pay for this" the Enforcer seethed, earning a kick from a Tiger.

"Oh I will pay, I have all the money in the world, I'm sure I can compensate for your lives"

"Yeah... Not unless you are dead!" the Enforcer shouted, charging forwards so suddenly that his captors did not have time to react, his entire strength drove a hidden knife towards Agong.

With a flick, the cigar hit the Enforcer in the eye, blinding him from the hand that wrapped around his neck. Before the Enforcer could retaliate, Agong flicked his thumb, breaking his neck instantly.

"Tsk tsk tsk... That's too bad, was hoping for a review"

The Tigers immediately prostrate themselves before him, awaiting his punishment for their failure to protect him. Their failure to prevent him from raising his finger against his enemies.

"Rise my children... Do not worry, you have proven yourselves more capable than these Enforcers, so I will delay your punishment until after the mission"

"We will not fail you" the leader vowed, echoed by the rest.

"We will board in a few hours, do not be late"

They remain prostrated until Agong left.

* * *

*South Korea: Gimpo International Airport*

"Can't remember the last time I wore like this" Quillion said as he looks at himself in a mirror.

He has opted to wear sunglasses, a blue sweater, jeans, and a cap.

"I would suggest you to grab a jacket luv, it's winter here after all" Lena said, grabbing a light grey coat.

"So just to recap, we are fans who won a free flight to England?" Quillion asked as he puts on his glasses.

"Yup! Winners of one of her less known competition. How do I look by the way?"

"You need the mirror?"

"No, I prefer someone else to tell me how I look"

Under the coat she is wearing a brown turtleneck and jeans, completed with what she calls 'nerdy glasses' that she borrowed from Angela and her Chronal Accelerator's core has been removed and packed in a bag along with his pistol that she wore on a sling (which Quillion took special care to keep an eye on it).

She looks amazing. He secretly wished he could sketch her.

"Meh... Average" he teased.

"Ha! What would a caveman know?" she laughed.

"How about me? How do I look?"

He instinctively stood straighter and puffed out his chest, hoping that she would be impressed with his muscles as she examines his choice of clothing.

"Meh... Average" she copied.

"Oh common! Get your own jokes!"

"How can I? Nothing is lamer than yours"

"Enjoy your vacation" Athena said as they stepped out of the shuttle, which they were met by the snowy wind.

"Ya know what, I'm grabbing a jacket" Quillion said as he immediately turn back into the shuttle.

"Told ya!"

Now wearing a black jacket, they made their way through customs.

Lena went first and his heart clenched when she had to put her bag through the metal detector but everything after that went by smoothly.

However the most worrying part was when they could not find his passport in their systems for a few minutes, which felt like eternity. Thankfully the Customs Officer blamed it on their computer instead of suspecting that it is a fake passport.

After a few more painful tries, it is finally approved and he reunited with Lena who is waiting for him behind the counters.

"That was exciting" she said, relieved that he got through.

"Exciting... Right... Next time it's gonna be you"

"Don't jinx it!"

Grabbing his cap, she ran towards the Arrival Hall, clearly excited that her vacation has begun.

"Hey! Wait!" he shouted as he chased after her, earning the disapproval look of many around them. As excited as she may be, Morrison's warning about agents being hunted remain as a very real threat.

"It's been forever since I've came to Korea! These are so cute" Lena exclaimed as she stood in front of a billboard has flashing colorful lights, cartoons and food.

"Can't you guys pick a sponsor that's more… Low key?" he said, as the billboard changed to Hana making a heartshape sign with her hands.

"Hey I didn't pick them"

Then it flashed to the other members of the Exo-Force.

"Hana, King, Overlord, Casino, Yuna... I've read reports they are all gamers become defenders and I still can't believe it" Quillion said as he reads their descriptions.

"Were you ever a gamer?"

"Oh yeah, I'm the best in my squad"

"Are they any good?"

"Nope"

"Diana? Timothy?" a man asked behind them.

Turning around they saw that it is Dae-Hyun, Quillion noticed he is a bit shorter than what he read in the reports.

"Heya! Dae-Hyun right?"

"Yes! Welcome to Korea"

"Yeah too bad we can't stay here for another couple of hours to sightsee" Lena said as she glanced at the clock.

"Ahh, I've good good news and bad news for both of you"

"Bad news?" Quillion inquired.

"Yeah, bad news is that your flight has been delayed until tonight"

"Oh no! I better make a call!" Lena said, quickly walking away and pulling out a phone.

"Ever been to Korea?"

"Can't say I have"

"Sorry about that! So what's the good news?" Lena said, coming back from her call.

"You get to spend the afternoon is Seoul! Hana will join us later after her press conference, until then she asked me to take both of you out to lunch"

"Great! I'm starving for some Korean food!" Lena said happily.

Walking out of the airport, the sight filled Quillion with wonder with each passing moment.

South Korea has advanced drastically compared to what he has seen so far in this future. Flying cars, bright colorful lights that is obvious even in the broad daylight, and he could not believe his eyes when he saw that McDonalds still serves a Big Mac.

"Common! We didn't come all this way just to have that!" Lena exclaimed, pulling him away from the menu screen. Each street seems to be filled with different stores and entertainment, with one similar trend.

Hana Song's image is scattered throughout the country.

"She's that popular huh?" Quillion asked quietly.

"She's a superstar! Champion gamer! Defender of Korea! I mean, she's just amazing!" Dae-hyun laughed.

"Sounds like someone's got something more than admiration for her" Lena winked playfully, jabbing her elbow at him.

"Shut up…"

They walked a little further before they stopped outside a restaurant with a steaming pot picture on it.

"Here we are, the best BBQ in town!"

He had booked a private room with a window where they could see the streets. They sat down and let Dae-Hyun order, concerning Quillion because as he calculates his orders, it far exceeds their budget that he prepared.

"I don't think we can pay fo-" he started before Lena gave him a somewhat stern look.

"Be quiet, I'll handle the cost" she said with a smile.

"But…"

"Trust me"

"Hope you guys like spicy! We are lucky they have the spicy chicken leg in stock today"

They chatted as Quillion listened quietly, partly not knowing what to say and partly annoyed because their flight has been delayed. In this advance world are flights supposed to get delayed?

"You don't talk much do you?" Dae-Hyun asked when he noticed that he did not say anything.

Just when he is about to reply, an Omnic place their food in front of him, scaring Quillion enough to reach into Lena's bag, causing her to give him a very stern look.

"What are you doing? You can't wave a gun around! Haven't your time spent with McCree taught you anything?" she whispered angrily.

"It is because of him I think all Omnics are out to get us"

"Well, maybe it's because you are always so paranoid!"

"Paranoid? You do not know what he made me go through!"

"I know he had to save you from a herd of stampeding bulls after you try to sleep with a farmgirl!"

"I did what?!"

"He said that is the reason why you ran out in the nude"

"That son of a-"

"Hey hey hey! Common guys! This is a vacation right? Let's have some food!" Dae-Huyn said, breaking up their argument, quickly adding some food onto the cooker and the sound of sizzling meat fills the air.

"You're right, sorry" Lena said, helping herself to some kimchi, leaving Quillion silently cursing McCree for spreading all these lies, and at himself for promising never to reveal what really happened.

Suddenly the sound of cheering erupted outside, they looked as a pink machine lands outside and the pilot jumping out with a backflip. He noticed that the crowd is also chanting "Song" repeatedly as she waves to the crowd and taking pictures with some of the onlookers.

"There she is, Hana Song" Dae-Hyun said as they watch her entertain the crowd for a little while before entering the restaurant.

"Wont there be an attack on the city if she is here?" Quillion asked, noticing her arrival is being broadcasted on the holovids.

"Don't worry, the other pilots have recovered and they are on duty today"

"Tracer!"

"Hana!"

Both women ran to one another and hugged.

"Always arriving at the right time eh?" Dae-Hyun said as he checks the food, which are cooked.

"Yay! I'm starving! Did you order the spicy chicken legs?"

On queue, a dish of chicken legs are brought in, the smell made Quillion's stomach rumble as he realized how hungry he is.

"I do not know how you guys can eat those" Lena said, wrinkling her nose at the dish.

"Hey! Don't knock em till you've tried them!" Hana quipped, grabbing a leg.

"Quil! Tell me that you don't eat these to"

When she turned to him, he is already munching on a leg.

"What? These are good... Oh... Oh no..."

They saw his face turn red as the chilies work its magic, its stinging oil lingers on his tongue and mouth.

"You okay?" Hana asked.

All he could do is raise his hands as he coughed trying to fight the building pain.

"Here, have some juice" Dae-Hyun said, quickly pouring a glass of peach juice.

Ignoring the glass, Quillion grabbed the whole carton and drank it as if he was dying from thirst.

"Guess you're not very good with spicy things eh?" Dae-Hyun asked as they watch him drink.

"I enjoy spicy food... I'd argue this is just eating pain..." Quillion said, wiping his mouth.

"You okay?" Hana asked concerningly.

"He'll be fine, I think I'll stick to the pork for now" Lena said, helping herself to the food.

"You are going to suffer in the plane later" Dae-Hyun said.

"Oh don't remind me" Quillion said, grabbing a piece of ice from the glass and rubbed his eyes with it.

* * *

*Gibraltar: Watchpoint*

"What is the status of the Russians?" Morrison asked as he read the reports on his desk.

"Bad, ever since the terrorist attack that nearly took the lives of Katya and Zarya, morale has plummeted, combine with the fact that food and water are turning up frozen, the Null Sectors have begun pushing them back" Colonel Smith said, looking up from his notebook.

"What happened to their so called "Final Push" that they were planning for months?"

"It has been delayed again, they said it will be until their supply lines are secure"

"Fools..." Morrison thought, their military command has indeed become mediocre. While they lick their wounds the Null Sector has not only dug in, they have regained their advantage in numbers.

"How is our prisoner? Has he revealed where Talon is?"

"We are close, maybe another week more then he will break"

Morrison tapped his finger on the desk for a few moments before asking another question that has been bothering him for a while.

"Tell me Colonel, what do you think Talon is planning now?"

"I... Do not know sir" he admitted, it is a strange this because the Owl and Alex seem to believe that Talon will send something.

Morrison nodded, Talon's previous attempts to find them has almost always resulted with a search party, but this time... This time Talon remained silent...

"Shall we send someone over to Russia? We could cripple the Null Sector's factories" Colonel Smith asked.

"No... He may come... And if he does, he will not get away..."

Colonel Smith said nothing, knowing well enough to keep quiet whenever the Commander mentions the Black Mercenary.

"Do we have an update of him? Where is he now?"

Opening his notebook again, he scanned the contents and found little to nothing on him.

"No sir, the last entry we have of him was when we sent everyone to Russia to find him..."

"This was before I sent Oxton to Malaysia correct?"

"Yes sir"

"Find him, we must have more leads"

The Colonel saluted before leaving. Morrison stood and paced, his mind racing.

He hates staying in one place for too long, before Winston convinced him to come back, he expected to find Reyes by now.

He is getting tired of being a 'better' man. Allowing the men some comforts of life is not getting him anywhere, he is no closer to finding Talon or Reyes than the day he rejoined.

Looking at his Pulse Rifle and visor, he realized that they have begun collecting dust. The sight made him regret his decision to lead Overwatch grow even more. He no longer feels the joy of leading anything. He is now no more than a hunter playing pack leader.

And the pack is holding him back.

"Just two more months" he thought to himself.

Just two more months before he will issue his final command to have Winston be re-establish as the leader Overwatch and leaving a trained team under Colonel Smith will cover for his absence.

Two months before he returns to the world.

To find the ones responsible for Overwatch's collapse and bring them to justice.

This means he has two more months to break Alex.

He stood up and began making his way to the holding cells, by his estimation, he still has a few more bones to break.


	30. Chp 30 - Battle of The Front

If you have noticed this is the second post of Chapter 30, yeah sorry, I mistakenly thought yesterday was Wednesday.

So as a little apology, changes has been made so this is an updated one so it should be a better version than the last one.

Enjoy :D

* * *

*Over North Pacific Ocean*

"You sure you alright luv?" Lena asked again as Quillion sat down for the 6th time.

He nodded, wiping off the light sweat brewing on his brow, one hand over his stomach as the burn persists. They were not kidding when they say it is the spiciest in Korea...

Good thing that he has taken the aisle seat, or else he would have to climb over Lena to rush to the lavatories. In fact, they lucked out for their flight because the Window Seat passenger did not make it for the flight, leaving them with an extra seat in their row.

"Look, I'm sorry that I snapped at you earlier, it's just... I really need this vacation so I'd appreciate it if you are not so alert all the time"

"Don't worry about it... Old habits die hard ya know?" he sighed.

He looked at her in confusion when she giggled.

"Now you're sounding more like Jack"

"Right..."

Grabbing a magazine in front of him and flipping to the Tourism Section, the first thing he saw is a picture of Mondatta's Statue and the title bearing the words 'King's Row'.

Quickly closing the magazine, he threw it back into the pouch and let out a sigh of relief when he saw that Lena was looking out the window, but his hastiness caught her attention.

Glancing at his face and at the magazine, she put two and two together.

"It's him isn't it?" she sadly.

"Hmm? Him? Who are you talking about? I didn't see him" he lied.

Letting out a long sigh.

"Remember what you said to me when I picked you up?" she asked.

"Err..."

He said a lot of things, which one was it?

"You said if I ever needed someone to talk to, soldier to soldier, you'll be there?"

"Oh... Oh yeah, I did say that, yes"

"I think I should let you know what happened to me last night"

Quillion began to panic, Winston and Angela specifically told him to keep her mind off of this.

"Don't worry, I won't freak out on a plane, there's plenty of people here so it's fine" she said reassuringly.

"I... Err... Sorry, I'll be right back" he said, quickly unbuckling his seatbelt and rushed to the bathroom, leaving a hurtful Lena alone in her seat.

"Ok Quillion... Breathe man, don't panic" he said to himself in the mirror.

That was close, even a reassurance cannot be taken at face value. From all his preparations, he does not know how to calm a traumatized person, let alone doing it on the plane.

After staying for what he felt like an appropriate time, he returned to his seat, where Lena is watching what seems to be a comedy movie as she is smiling and giggling.

He noticed that she has moved to the window seat.

Tapping her shoulder, she took off her headset.

"You okay?"

"Sure, you should watch this, it's pretty good" she said.

Relieved, he watched a movie before falling asleep while Lena watched movies for the duration of the flight.

* * *

*Russia: The Front*

The men cheered into the night sky when they opened the new Hard Light Crates and saw that its contents are not frozen nor broken. Everyone scrambled to grab whatever they could as the Engineers crack open more crates. Food, water, and clothes are distributed fully to each man and no man was left unwanting.

"About time those idiots back at Command finally did something about this" a soldier exclaimed, shoveling spoonfuls of meat into his mouth.

"Yeah, all it took was a little mutiny!" another shouted, followed by scattered laughter among the men.

"Careful with your words comrade, they can still shoot you right now" another shouted.

Their banter relieved their elderly Captain, who almost lost control of his company due to the last disastrous delivery from the week prior.

"If only Zarya was here, she would've kept them in line" he thought to himself before leaving the men to their meal.

The past 30 years has not been kind to the Captain's body. Though he still has the same energetic spirit, his body is now frail and wrinkly, his once jet black hair is now grey and his knees is becoming weaker every day. He was only 19 when he was conscripted and here he is again, back to the front.

He was not even supposed to be here, but due to the rapid disappearance and death of many officers, High Command decided to conscript old veterans in hopes to keep the young ones in check, depending on their mere presence and experience to inspire the men.

But though he was a recipient of the Medal "For Courage", he knew that the men care for no such thing as trinkets in the heat of battle, there is only discipline, the enemy, and themselves.

For weeks he busied them with digging multiple foxholes, trenches, and firing positions, further securing their position, to the displeasure of the men. Despite their complaints, their duties kept their minds off their situation.

Now with their lines secured and supplies re-established, High Command should finally give the order for the attack and the men can finally return to their homes.

Any day now... Once the reformed Osvoboditel' Army arrives, they will at last free their country from this war with a devastation so brutal that no Null Sector will ever hope of causing an uprising in the Motherland again.

Going up to the roof of the bunker, he took an account of his surroundings.

They are located at the strongest part of the encirclement and it would be insane for any attempts of a breakout at their position as they are the staging point for the so called 'Final Push'.

Before him are multiple barracks where the infantry stand guard, strategic kill zones and pill boxes connected by trenches have been established, further reinforced by foxholes and thousands of the state of the art PKMs. The sight reminding him of the history books he had read about the First World War.

The second line of defense are the mechanized units which are a little further behind, where most of the grounded units such as tanks and troop carriers are hidden in the snow while the Mechs patrol around the area. The firing positions for the ground units has been designed by the Captain himself. He knew from experience that the Null Sector prefers close quarter combat and a loose formation of tanks has saved the Russian armies before.

The last line of defense is the artillery. Rows upon rows of howitzers are primed towards the battlefield and the city, their guns painfully silent. If it were up to him, he would've moved the army closer so that the artillery can shell the city until it is nothing but dust, however High Command thought it will be too risky as they will be in range of the Null Sector guns as well.

Finally, he looked over to the East at the City of Perm, their once proud city now turned into the final bastion and beacon of the Null Sector's rebellion.

He does not like to be stationed out here more than the next man, especially when they were receiving horrible supplies, but for him to give the order to send young men charging into the gates of Hell is not exactly a good alternative either.

This is reminiscent to his last battle when he himself was an Osvoboditel'. He knew for a fact that their enemies will deploy their deadliest machines to die with. He shuddered as he was reminded of the sacrifices they paid for every step they took to end the last Omnic Crisis.

Grabbing a pair of binoculars, he looked towards the Watchtower, a temporary forward post where a squad of Mech pilots will observe the Null Sector and report back if an attack is coming.

"Watchtower, report" he called on his communicator.

"Nothing to report Captain, Nullifiers are patrolling as usual but nothing else"

Good, the men can have a good rest tonight with a full belly.

He saw that the Mechs are still in position and a pilot is pacing back and forth lazily, clearly bored of sitting in it for the whole day.

Putting down the binoculars, he was about to retire for the night before what he noticed some sparks flying from the Watchtower. It was so sudden that he thought he imagined it.

"Watchtower, status?"

He waited for the reply which never came.

"Watchtower? Status?"

Static.

Quickly looking towards the Watchtower again, he saw that the Mechs are exactly where they are, but the pilot that was pacing is nowhere to be found.

Looking down he saw the patrol of a Mech Squad are talking to one another, their hatches open to enjoy their vodka in the cold air.

"Pilots!" he shouted down to the squad below him, causing them to look up and quickly hiding their drinks.

"Go to the Watchtower and check it out now!" he yelled.

The Mechs squad sped towards the Watchtower, flying low to negate the glow from their thrusters.

"Maybe it is nothing, maybe they all went off to take a piss" the Captain desperately thought, his sweat frozen in the cold winds as he watched with his binoculars.

The Mechs reached the Watchtower unhindered.

"Oi! Morons! You all passed out from drinking?" the squad leader called, his coms linked to the Captain who is listening intently.

He saw the pilots peer into the cockpits of the other Mechs for a moment before they backed up suddenly.

"What did you see?" he asked.

"Retreat! Retreat comrades!" the squad leader commanded, activating his thrusters.

"What do you see?" the Captain shouted.

The Watchtower exploded and the flames consumed everything that it touches.

Soldiers poured out of their bunkers at the sound, horrified at pillar of fire that appeared out of nowhere.

Then the ground began to tremble as the sound of a thunderous stampede crackled through the silent night.

Their morale was further tested at the very sight of what follows.

Behind the flames came the renewed Null Sector army.

Three Titans, surrounded by Orbiters, march across the battlefield in glorious, terrifying splendor, the ground trembling with their every step.

Their vanguard is led by hundreds of Behemoths galloping directly towards them, their hulking mass kicked off the snow, creating a ghostly image of a roaring tide.

And finally, the Nullifiers that must've numbered in the thousands filled the gap between the Titans and the Behemoths, their guns raised and charging at them.

The Captain froze in fear at the sight, how could anyone or anything stand against that?

He was about to order a retreat when he remembered that if they fail to hold the line now, their enemies will have a direct route to Moscow behind them. And no one is there to stop them.

"Captain! Orders!"

He looked down and saw hundreds of fearful men staring at him, desperate for guidance.

"To your posts! Man the guns! Fight comrades!" the Captain bellowed, pulling out his pistol.

The army quickly ran to their posts, clambering into their foxholes and trenches, some didn't have time to put on their Personal Shield Generators as they power up their weapons.

"Artillery! Fire at will!" the Captain commanded as he slammed the coordinates to them through his arm pad.

Their guns roared and mighty ordnance rain down with punishing fury, scores of Omnics were destroyed in the first few volleys. Metal and wires flew in every direction with every shot. But they kept coming.

The Null Sector began forming barriers as they advance, most disappearing under the Russian shells whilst the Titan's maintain its integrity.

The infantry waited, their hands trembling at the sight of the advancing army, fighting down the instinct to just drop their weapons and run with every agonizing second. They stayed silent until their enemy stepped into the killzones.

"Fire your weapons comrades! Fire!"

The trenches came alive, sending a hellish payload into the advancing Omnics, lighting up the darkness with thousands of rounds of brass, steel and plasma, which saw the destruction of multiple Behemoths and Nullifers.

Yet they advanced, their pace unhindered by the possibility of death or pain, driven by a programming that the Omnics believe makes them superior.

Once in range, the Null Sector returned an equally devastating attack. Plasma bolts skirted through the air and peppered the Russians with deadly accuracy and pulse grenades rained down into their trenches, killing scored of infantrymen within seconds.

"Man the PKMs! None of them are to be silent!" the Captain ordered everyone.

He did not need to tell them twice, they knew once the machine guns stop, it will be the end of the front lines as they know it.

"Captain! Skirmishers at the right flank!" a voice called in the coms.

Tearing his eyes away from the battle before him, he turned his binoculars to the right flank and saw the anti-aircraft guns have already engaged the incoming attack. So numerous are the Skirmishers that it looked like a cloud of locusts.

He also noticed that they are speeding towards the artillery, completely ignoring the anti-aircraft guns.

"Mechs! Skirmishers coming from the South! Protect the artillery!"

Mech Battalions flew up to meet the threat and the night sky exploded as they competed for aerial superiority. The anti-aircraft crews had to stop firing as they could no longer identify who is friend or foe as flaming metals and bodies fell like rain.

The Captain looked back to the main battle before him and saw a desperate situation.

Men began slipping on the millions of casings scattered across the floor, the snow began to melt under the ever increasing heat, making resupplying slow across the trenches as the ground turn to mud. Many guns fell silent and faced with a wall of Behemoths inching nearer with every second, the men began abandoning their post.

Running down to the front in person, he activated his shield to full power stood onto a platform and shot a flare into the sky, illuminating his position so that both friend and foe can see him.

"Fight on comrades!" he roared above the sounds of war, his pistol barking towards his enemies and continually shouting encouragements to everyone around him, promising victory and not allowing the idea of defeat enter their minds.

Inspired by his courage, they fought on harder than they ever have before, braving the increasingly powerful attacks they received in turn.

Then their world exploded.

The front lines came into range of the leading Titan. Huge beams blazed throughout the trenches and every unfortunate souls caught in it became dust. The Captain barely avoided death as the beam penetrated the ground and destroyed one of the shallower ammunition dumps, blowing him out from its trajectory.

Dazed, the Captain looked around and saw the horrors that he never wanted to see again. Lifeless eyes, burning bodies, and crying men met his gaze everywhere he sees.

He wanted to give into his despair, he wanted to put an end to this misery right now, but he remembered that if he fails his duty now, the rest of Russia will see this horror.

Soon he felt a pair of arms lifting him to the wall. Blinking the mud out of his eyes, he saw that it is a man holding a phone that is attached to the radio that he is wearing.

"Captain! The Titan is in range! Tank crews are requesting permission to engage!"

The Captain stared. They could not be this stupid.

"Captain? Permission to-"

"Fire your guns!" the Captain ordered, annoyed that they would even need to ask such a stupid question.

Hidden tanks fired unanimously into the nearest Titan, their giant Particle Cannons blew a hole straight through its barrier and pierce its head, destroying it immediately. The men cheered as it collapses which hampered the advance of the other Titans.

Commanding the Private to drag him back onto high ground, he took a quick assessment with the current situation of the battle.

Though they destroyed most of the vanguard, the Behemoths reached the Russian lines and began clearing the trenches. Encouraged by the recent destruction of a Titan, it became a valiant melee as men stood their ground against the machines, but every heroic attempt is proven futile as their bodies are flung high into the air for all to see.

"Heavy Assault Units! Forward!" the Captain shouted, forced to use their elite troops that he kept in reserve.

In a blink of an eye, the Behemoths were lifted above the ground and their bodies began to crumple in multiple gravity bombs.

"Together we are strong!" multiple voices cried out as they charged forward, their Particle Cannons slicing the Behemoths apart.

Though not as skilled as their leader, Zarya's men are still capable soldiers, braving and almost welcoming all incoming attacks as they activate their Particle Barriers, feeding their Particle Cannons with more energy with every shot they receive.

"Watch our backs comrades!" one of them cried out as they marched forward in unison, bearing the brunt of the Nullifier's attack which inevitably came, giving time for the Russians to reform the line.

"Captain, this is Sergeant Mikhail, we have achieved aerial superiority, shall we engage the ground units?"

"No, stay up there and make sure those flying dishwashers do not get to the artillery"

"Yes Captain"

The battle raged throughout the night and lasted until morning, ending with the total destruction of the Null Sector army saved a single Titan that returned back to Perm and disappearing from their sight in its tall buildings.

The Russians looked towards the city with a grimmer attitude. From a single city, the Null Sector was able to construct three Titans and an army that almost broke through their strongest position in a single night is a troubling revelation for the men.

What else lies withing those buildings?

They suffered uncountable casualties as many are victims of the Titans and the Behemoth's, which left only dust and pieces. The Mech Battalion has been effectively cut in half and are in desperate need of replacements whilst the Army has used almost all of its ammunition.

Their biggest loss however, is the death of their Captain who was tragically killed near the end of the battle by a stray bullet. Soldiers whisper of a new class of Null Sector Snipers that wore red robes and drops into the battlefield in a cloud of smoke, but this rumor is quickly dismissed as hallucinations from PTSD.

In this pyrrhic victory, the message of the Null Sector is loud and clear.

Any hopes of ending the war is far from over.

* * *

*Venice: Talon Base*

"What are we going to tell him?" a nervous staff asked as the two walk towards Ogundimu's office.

"We? You the one that should tell him!" the other countered, quickly wiping off the sweat with his handkerchief.

The two squabbled until they are outside of his office, both too scared to proceed.

"Come in" his voice rang out of his office, making them both jump, were they so loud?

Slowly opening the door, they saw that he is sitting behind his desk reading a book.

"Sorry to disturb you Mr Ogundimu, we just want to give our report"

"And…?" Ogundimu asked as he lazily turn the page as they stood before him.

"We… We lost track of Sombra sir"

Ogundimu said nothing for a while as he deliberately reads the first paragraph of the page, causing the other two to tremble in fear.

"And how did you lose her?"

"I… You see sir… We were just going through the procedures as usual and as you have requested, we began surveilling her and her movements and-"

He closed his book with a loud thump, cutting the man off.

"I am going to ask you one last time. How did you lose her?"

"We… We were just going through the procedures and-"

"You, how did you lose her?" Ogundimu said, pointing to the other.

"She hacked our system and teleported away before we could regain control" he said quickly, casting an annoyed glance at his colleague.

"Do you have any idea where she could be or what her motives are?"

"We have looked through her belongings but we could not find any leads, maybe except one"

"What might that be?"

"We believe she has in contact with someone in Overwatch"

"Why would you say that?"

"We found a small message and we deduce that she has been communicating with a pilot who will be picking up two Overwatch Agents a few days after Christmas somewhere in England"

"Let me see the message"

The two glance at each other concerningly.

"Err... The message is... Vulgar sir..."

Ogundimu gave them a dark look and they immediately pass the report to them.

At first the message seems like a normal sex chat material. Pictures of a nude woman has been sent out to a man who seems to be cheating on his wife online.

He was about to kill the two men before him for this nonsense when he saw the cryptic message at the bottom of the page that peaked his curiosity.

"Hey babe, I'm picking up my boss and the caveman up from Blighty in a few after Christmas, I'm thinking that I'll have my 'Christmas Gift' before we go back to work ;)"

"Didn't you say she can manipulate your timetable at any point? We will get caught"

"She's meeting her girlfriend so it'll be fine, they haven't met in a couple so they will be together the whole time"

"You mean Reddie?"

"The very same, so we can enjoy Christmas at the hotel in Kings Row, so we will be fine"

"If that's the case Loxyboy, I'm going to suck your -"

The message continues in derogatory fantasies which Ogundimu put down.

"I agree that this seem to match our current suspicions except for this 'caveman'" he said.

"Who is going to London tomorrow?"

"Widowmaker, Sigma, SS28, and Moira sir"

"And what about the drug lord?"

"They have already reached and told us that they will not attack until we do"

"Send a message to Mauga, when the task is done, kill them all, they are of no use to us or the world"


	31. Chp 31 - The Calm

*Gibraltar: Watchpoint Hangar*

A light rain fell onto Watchpoint and the hangar lay silent as most operations have stopped. No one else is on the platform saved for one, who is meditating and maintaining his sword whilst listening to the sound of the rain.

He has just wiped off the Uchiko and was about to add Choji Oil to the blade before he heard someone walking towards him and stopping.

"You may come closer if you wish"

"How are you feeling?" Angela asked.

"Good morning Angela, I am doing fine, how about yourself?"

"Fine" she said before sitting down with two cups of coffee, patiently waiting for him to finish the maintenance on his sword before speaking again.

"Have you ever thought about upgrading your katana to something more… Modern?" she asked.

"No" he said, carefully sheathing it before accepting a coffee with thanks.

"I still think you should consider getting some upgrades"

"You do not need to worry about me, unlike before, I am prepared for the next encounter"

"What if they have also improved?"

"Then I will overcome them as I have always done"

The two fall silent as they listen to the light rain falling around them.

"I almost lost you again Genji, I do not want to be put into that position again"

He looked at her at those words and he saw that her blue eyes are watery.

Looking down at his katana, he drew it out of its scabbard and, with both hands, hand it over to Angela.

"Here, please examine this"

Confused, Angela hesitantly took the katana and held it gingerly in her hands. It is lighter than she thought it was. Though she dislikes weapons, she is open enough to appreciate their arts and history, and Genji's katana undoubtedly of the highest quality.

Alongside the steel, she could almost feel the depths of the blade, its raw strength, and an almost gentle but powerful force waiting to be unleashed.

"It is beautiful" she commented.

"Its name is Ryu ichimoni. Never has it been held by anyone who is not a Shimada and not be consumed by the dragon"

She looked at him with a worried look and quickly offer it back to him, which he declined, instead he observed the sword with interest.

"The blade carries the strength of the Shimada Clan, for generations it has been passed down and never has anyone died while this sword is in his possession"

"Why are you telling me this?"

"As long as I wield it, I will never be killed, lest I dishonor my clan"

He looked at her for a moment before removing the katana from her hands, sheathing it carefully.

"Are you saying that you are still loyal to the clan that betrayed you?"

"No, I am no longer loyal to them, but I have forgiven them, and Shimada blood still runs through my veins. Even if I sacrifice my body, I will never sacrifice my honor"

She wanted to believe him. Believe that honor is enough to guarantee his safety.

But having served in many battlefields, she knows from experience that honor alone is not bullet proof.

"You remain worried?" Genji asked.

"Must violence always be the solution?"

"No. But as long as they seek to harm us, they will meet my blade"

"Is that why you returned? So you can draw your sword again?" Angela asked, sounding hurt.

Genji recoiled at those words. Was that the message he conveyed?

"I returned to protect those who I care for" he said.

"Then who will protect you?"

"Do you remember what I said back in the ward? I meant it"

"So that's it? I'm just a healer to you and nothing else?"

"You know that is not what I meant"

She looked away from him, hiding her face as conflicting feelings battle inside her.

"I just said I do not want to save your life again" she said, tears of frustration began flowing down her face.

"Angela..."

"I do not want to see you dying again!" she cried.

Sobbing now, she hid her face in her hands, ashamed that she broke down before him.

A hissing sound caused her to look at him. He removed his visor and looked at her with his brown eyes.

"Forgive me Angela, I have been careless and has caused you pain, but as long as there are those who seek to harm us, I will be there to stop them"

Her head hung at those words, though he is a student under Zenyatta to find peace with his body, the freedom that he found has combined with his energetic nature has led to him to explore the path of combat.

"However, I will speak to Torbjorn about upgrades when he returns, maybe he can further improve my body and shuriken" he concluded.

She smiled at those words as she wiped the tears off her face.

"Well, I suppose I'll be patching you up as usual"

"I'll make sure I come back to you whenever I need healing"

Laughing, she gave him a playful slap across the cheek.

"I hate it when you say that"

"When this is over, take me to Switzerland with you" he said suddenly.

"What?" Mercy asked, confused at such a sudden request.

"I have never been to Switzerland, I would like you to show me around after the war"

She stared at such a strange request but smiled.

"Yes, I will take you to Switzerland"

"Thank you"

"Err... Dr Ziegler? Captain Shimada? Commander Morrison has asked for your presence in the War Room"

They looked behind them and saw it is one of the guards who stayed behind.

"Shall we?" Genji asked.

"I suppose" Angela sighed as they quickly finish their coffee.

*Watchpoint: War Room*

As they enter, Genji and Angela saw that Morrison, Winston and Colonel Smith are waiting for them.

"What's the situation?" Angela asked.

"The Null Sector has made an attempt to break through the Russian lines" Morrison said gravely.

"Did they succeed?" Genji said, casting a glance towards the large screen before them.

"No, which is the problem, they were holding back"

"What do you mean?"

"They have only dedicated 20% of their total force, they could've easily broken through if they committed their entire army"

"And we do not know why" Winston added.

"Could it be because they were testing the defenses?"

"Unlikely, they nearly broke through multiple times, they could've easily attacked Moscow if they wanted, show them Athena" Morrison said.

Athena began drawing the map, recreating the overview of the battle from beginning to end at high speed based on the reports that they intercepted.

"At this moment, it seems that the Russians have reinforced the front with more men, armor, artillery, and most curiously, elements of the Helix Security International (HSI)" Winston said.

"Why are the HSI involved? The United Nations would never dedicate any of their forces to help the Russians" Angela said.

"According to Captain Ama-, according to Fareeha, the UN feels that the Null Sector has become too big of a threat to ignore, so they have sent her and others to reinforce the Russians" Morrison said.

"And they agreed?"

"The reformed Russian military has begun opening their borders for external assistance"

"What else are they accepting for assistance?"

"Nothing else but the new Hard Light Crates that Vishkar is sending over for logistics"

"So what can we do from here?" Genji asked.

"Winston, I believe that you should make the call" Morrison said.

Winston was taken aback, Morrison has never asked anyone else to make decisions besides himself when he took command.

"I... I think we need to gather more information before we act" he said.

"If I may, what are we waiting for? We know where the enemy is, we can strike now to end the war"

"The Russians is reforming the Osvoboditel' and soon it will attack Perm, I suggest we wait and see how this unfolds, if they require our assistance then we will help"

Genji nodded and watch the map that Athena continues to update.

"What are the media outlets reporting regarding this attack?" Angela asked.

"The Russians are reporting that the Null Sector has made a desperate attempt to break out and it was repelled within an hour" Morrison said flatly.

"That's impossible, look! There were battling in the skies and a Titan exploded its core, Moscow must've seen something" she said, pointing to the map.

"They are trying to prevent panic, but you are right, the people in Moscow have seen and uploaded videos, but all of them only contain flashing lights, so they were easily dismissed"

"I suggest we keep an eye out on the other countries" Winston said, to which Colonel Smith nodded in approval.

"And why is that?" Genji asked.

"It is dangerous for us to have a tunnel vision at Russia, we need to be vigilant against other uprisings around the globe"

"Do we have any leads for any pro-Null Sectors groups causing trouble?"

Morrison motioned to Colonel Smith, who whipped out his notebook.

"We believe there is are some who plan to cause disruptions in Egypt, Brazil, and America"

"What is our next step?"

"My contact in Egypt is still keeping an eye out, same goes for our sponsor in Brazil and McCree in America. Which leaves Italy" Morrison replied.

The Colonel looked quickly back into his notes, did he miss out a country?

"My apologies sir, I must've missed it in the reports" he apologized sheepishly.

"This is not from the reports, this is from our prisoner, who swore that Italy is a place we should keep an eye on"

They all looked at him and shuddered at what he must've done to the young man to pry that information out of him. Normally they would dismiss it as lies, but Morrison has always managed to force the truth out, to the great displeasure to everyone in the room.

"If I may ask, how is the prisoner now?" Angela asked.

"Nothing you need to worry about anymore" Morrison said emotionlessly.

"Ich lebe… Jack… You didn't…?"

"The important thing is, we know where our enemies are and we will deal with them accordingly"

Angela stared at him with pain and anger.

"When I came back, I hope things have changed… Looks like I was wrong" she said before walking out.

"So Winston, I take it that your suggestion is to wait until the enemy makes a move?" Morrison asked.

"Yes, we should keep low for now, especially when our manpower is low at the moment"

* * *

*London: Heathrow Airport*

It is a cloudy evening when a private cargo plane landed into the hanger under the pretense of delivering exotic meats from Asia, which was not exactly a lie as Agong and his Tigers oversee the unloading process with the authorities.

"Please sign here and… Here…" a staff said, pointing to the signature boxes in the clipboard.

"Good man, here, buy yourself something nice" Agong said, slipping him a few hundred pounds.

"What? No no no, we do not accept gifts here, we are just doing our job"

"I insist! This is a good day for me, please don't ruin it"

He looked at the money for a moment before quickly putting it into his pocket.

"Hope you will have a good day sir" he said before hurrying off.

Unbeknownst to all of them, 4 figures are observing them from the roof.

"He brought 10 men, none of them look very promising to me" Widowmaker said.

"They do look delicious though, especially that big one" SS28 said, licking her lips as she points at Agong.

"As long as they do their part, then everything will fall into place" Sigma said as he studies his gravity balls, widening them to peer into the endless secrets that lies within them.

"Doctor, can I eat one of them though? Doctor?"

"Be quiet 28!" Moira said angrily as Widowmaker sniggered.

Though her creation has grown physically and intellectually, she is still acting like a child, which is becoming tiresome.

But instead of the usual submissive behavior, SS28 stuck out her tongue at Moira and began chatting with Sigma, who ignored her questions.

"Will she cause any trouble for us?" Widowmaker asked, her eye never leaving the scope.

"I will keep her under control" Moira replied.

"You better, our mission does not need to become complicated"

"Why are you here doc? Didn't seem like something you'd do" SS28 asked Sigma who continues to study the dark matter in his hands.

"If I answer, will you shut up?"

"No promises are made"

Sighing, he looked down at the annoying girl.

"If you must know, I wish to see this Tracer in person"

"Oh? Why's that doc?"

"I saw her once in the Luna's Cabaret the other evening, I would like to ask her if she would like to go with me sometime"

He ignored the stares that everyone was giving him, including Widowmaker's who looked up from her scope, and gaze back into the void.

"Has he really met this Tracer before?" Moira asked quietly.

"Unlikely, he probably made it up in his mind" Widowmaker said.

"I'm bored Doctor, can we look for Sombra first? It's cold" SS28 complained.

"For the last time 28 keep quiet!"

Huffing, SS28 began pacing around the roof.

"Do you see her anywhere?"

"Non, I have not seen Sombra since we landed"

"Keep an eye out for her, we do not want her to sneak around us"

"We've got another flight coming in" Widowmaker said as a plane began landing procedures.

"SS28, you want to do something? Go back to work"

Rolling her eyes, she changed her facial features to that of an elderly woman.

"I need more money" she said, her hand outstretched towards Moira.

"What happened to the last amount we gave you?"

"They had the specials so I spent it"

Swallowing her impatience, Moira gave her some more coins.

"This amount is too small!"

Moira's dark complexion was all she had as a reply, immediately jumping down towards the Arrival Hall.

"Finally some silence… Can anyone else hear that music?" Sigma asked, turning his head skywards.


	32. Chp 32 - Zarya Awakes, The Nightmare

*Moscow: Burdenko Hospital*

Doctors and nurses dashed through the hall, almost knocking everything out of their way as they rush towards the Emergency Room.

The nurses briefed the doctors quickly as they ran, papers flying out of their hands as they tear off to the next page. It would've looked comical if it weren't the absolute look of terror on their faces.

Bursting through the doors they saw a furious Zarya, who is lying on the bed, has managed to break free from one of her restraints.

"I said take these things off me!" she roared, grabbing a nurse by the scruff of his coat with only one hand and threw him into a cabinet, shattering the glass.

"Ms Zarya please! You are in no condition to leave! You need to rest!"

"Then patch me up so I can leave!"

"We… We cannot… Not without you signing the papers"

"I am NOT going to allow you to install some Omnic parts onto me!" she shouted, resulting to an Omnic nurse to recoil at this adversity.

"At the very least, let us install the…" one of them began before he was cut off at the word 'install'.

"You claim to be the best? Then why don't you act like it?!" she yelled.

"Please! At least listen to reason!" another protested.

Seething with anger, Zarya realize that arguing with them is useless.

About to tear off the rest of her restraints, the staff was suddenly forced apart by heavily armed and armored guards, making way for Katya Volskaya.

"Zarya…" she heard her whisper and saw a flash of horror on her face before she regain her composure.

"We need to speak alone, make sure no one comes near the doors"

"Yes" the guards replied, forcing everyone out and guarded the door.

Once Katya's wristband flash green, she sat down next to Zarya, who noticed that she kept a hand over the same pistol she used to blow the ghostlike assassin through the walls months ago.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"What happened? I saw the sky lit up last night and thousands are being conscripted outside the hospital, tell me what happened. Now" Zarya demanded.

Katya took a deep breath before telling her everything.

Zarya listened quietly and nodded at a few points, silently agreeing to the decisions that had made as if she is reviewing the army.

"And my men? What happened to my men?" she asked when she realized that Katya did not mention them.

She did not answer the question, but Zarya got her answer.

Her face may have remained emotionless, but her eyes told the truth.

"No… How? Tell me how!" Zarya yelled at her.

"They… Were chasing after the last Titan…" Katya replied, barely above a whisper.

"And?"

"They went too far in… There was a misfire…"

"What misfire?"

"There was a miscalculation… The coordinates was sent to the artillery…"

Zarya felt sick. Grabbing a nearby bucket, she threw up in it.

"No… Not like that…" she cried.

Most of them were her childhood friends who survived the First Omnic Crisis. She remembered how they took care of each other as the Null Sector tore through their town.

Through thick and thin they made a pact to rebuild, to recover, to protect their country and its people. Now she is the only one left to carry on their legacy.

Katya said nothing, sitting still as a statue as Zarya griefs for her men.

"Who is he? Who miscalculated?"

"A young Lieutenant"

"Where is he?"

"Executed"

Zarya nodded, though unsatisfactorily, she would have loved to introduce her fists before his execution.

"Tell me you found someone who can help me, I need to be back to the front" she asked.

"I'm sorry Zarya, this was your last option, no one can do what you ask" she replied.

"There has to be someone!"

"Just sign the papers, no one will think less of you"

"I refuse to have machinery attached to my body!"

Katya frowned, she tried for many months to convince Zarya to accept the surgery but all attempts have failed.

"You must find someone Katya, there has to be someone out there who can help me"

"There is no one else, the world has fully adopted robotic and prosthetic replacements"

"Then keep looking! You can't give up yet!"

That was the final straw. Months of searching and research for a cure combined with the attempt on her life which led to her seeing ghosts everywhere and the sudden demand to replace the front line with upgraded Mechs, she had enough.

"Enough, I am needed back in Volskaya" Katya said, standing up.

"Wait! You can't leave me like this! It is your fault that I am in here!" Zarya snarled.

"My fault? MY FAULT?" Katya repeated, her features angry.

"If you had not brought me back for a stupid parade I would not be in this condition!"

"The people needed hope! They needed a symbol, something that you never understood"

"Wars are won by soldiers not pictures and flowers!"

"Wars are won by the support of the people!" Katya countered.

"You know that you do not believe that"

Katya remained silent for a moment before replying.

"I believe in many things, I do what I think is necessary to win"

"Then discard the ones that are wrong" Zarya said, almost pleading.

"Have a good recovery"

Pressing on her wristband, the guards opened the door and escorted her out.

Cursing, Zarya lay on the bed and stare at the two heavily bandaged stubs that were once her legs.

* * *

*Russia: Novo-Ogaryovo*

The Army General took a deep breath outside the building, preparing himself for the Emergency Meeting that he called, hoping that in the face of crisis his staff will rise up to meet it.

Judging by the different entourages, many have already arrived, all he needs to do now is to command them to fix this.

Squaring his shoulders, he walked in and climbed the steps. With each step the expected sounds of panicked voices grew louder. From his experience, these are the times that he needs to guide them, to force them onto a path where they can focus their energy.

Opening the doors, only those closest to it stopped their discussion and looked at him, while the rest of the staff in the room continues to shout at one another. He noticed that everyone has is standing and their faces red with frustration as meaningless plans, requests, and strategies hung in the air between them.

"Order! Order!" the Army General called, trying to get the room to quiet down, but his voice is drowned in the noise.

Seeing this, he took his seat at the end of the table, hoping his presence will be known and everyone will settle down. He counted there were about 14 staffs present.

But lost in their fear, the staff continue to bicker and had either ignored or is ignorant of his presence. It was only after half an hour when they finally stopped, either out of respect or they are too tired to continue their arguments.

"The Null Sector has tried to break out and we repelled them, why are we panicking?" he asked, trying to bring in an air of confidence, but it had an opposite effect.

The room immediately filled with a chorus of different reports regarding the battle. Some are optimistic while some are not as one tried to shout above the other.

"Settle down! Quiet!" he shouted.

Once silence is maintained he decided to change his question.

"The important thing now is we need to know what is our next step"

Everyone nodded and hung on his words.

Seeing that everyone is looking to him for guidance, he froze, his mind became blank, sweat began forming in his palms.

What is their next step?

The uncomfortable silence in the room was only broken when the youngest member raise his hand, thinking that the Army General is looking for innovation from them.

"I would like to make a suggestion"

Everyone snapped him a look and was about to berate him when the relieved Army General permits him to speak.

"We have successfully conscripted 15,000 people into the Army, I would suggest to add them into the Osvoboditel' Army and attack now"

"Impossible! The Osvoboditel' Program cannot receive any more recruits" one exclaimed.

"Then I would suggest to use the conscripts and elements of the Helix Security International to probe the city's defenses"

"I will not endanger the lives of the people for some 'probing' operation" the Army General said.

"But we have already destroyed the bulk of the Null Sector army, all we need to do now is to know how well defended the city is"

"I do not believe this is the time for rash actions or attack"

"With respects Army General, I believe this is the time, with each passing day they are building more troops and we cannot allow them to rebuild their strength"

Some of the staff nodded their heads at these words while some remain skeptical.

"And you are confident for this operation's success?"

"It will just be a probing operation, nothing more"

Unable to think of a better plan and desperate to provide guidance, the Army General made his decision.

"Very well, I will permit you to lead the conscripts to attack the City of Perm, you have until next week to attack"

Everyone looked shocked, but none more so than the young Lieutenant.

"I... I didn't mean that I would lead the operation" he squeaked out.

"The decision has been made, Lieutenant... What is your name?"

"Maksim, but-"

"Lieutenant Maksim, I order you to lead the conscripts and Helix Security International to probe the city of Perm. I expect your report in a week."

"But-"

"It is done, leave and make your arrangements"

The young man sat stunned, a visible trail of sweat ran down his face. He just thought to share an idea and have others to lead it, not actually lead it himself.

Shaking, he stood up and gave a salute before quietly exiting the room.

"How is the public's reaction to the story we sent out?" the Army General asked.

"So far half of the people believe that it is a small skirmish, while the other half believes that it is a battle larger than what we reported" the head of Public Affairs replied.

"What are we going to do about it?"

"We have already suppressed those who are trying to investigate more into it"

"Good... How is the current status of resupplying the front?"

"It has been delayed again, especially for the Mech Battalion" the Head of Logistics report.

"Why is that?"

"All factories are already fully utilized to arm the Osvoboditel' and the new conscripts, it is impossible to resupply the front"

"I am only asking you to resupply the front, are you so incompetent that you cannot fulfill that simple request?" the Army General scolded.

"What am I supposed to do? Make resources appear out of thin air? I cannot resupply without any more factories!"

"Just make it happen!"

"I cannot!"

The entire floor fell into disarray, including the Army General, as they try to shout above one another, only this time, instead of the topic of war war, they are now arguing about each other's loyalty for their country.

* * *

*Malaysia: Kota Kinabalu*

"Common I bet I can outshoot again!" Ahmad said, grinning as he drew his bow.

"Not this time!" Quillion responded.

Together they shot their arrows and wait eagerly for the results as Oliver walked out of cover to check.

"Looks like Ahmad wins again Quil, told ya to use my grenade launcher instead!" he called looking down at his clipboard, causing Quillion to groan as Ahmad punch into the air victoriously.

"Common now, eat!"

"Fine..." Quillion said.

Between them is a bowl of sky fruits, which all of the shells are on Quillion's side.

"Again!" Quillion shouted after eating his punishment, gritting his teeth as the intense bitterness shot across his mouth.

"Easy there, I do not have anything for the pain that you're about to endure" Hazir said as he checks his medical bag.

"Well that's what will make it exciting!" Ahmad said as they drew their bows.

Another hour passed before Quillion finally conceded defeat as, despite the enhancements, the bitterness is overwhelming.

"When are you gonna learn? You can't beat me!"

"l beat you one day Ahmad... Just you wait..." Quillion said as he lay on the floor.

"Here, this might help" Hazir said, throwing a pack of gum onto his chest.

"Common, lets hit the beach!" Oliver said.

"You guys go ahead... I'm gonna rest..."

"Suit yourself!"

Quillion watched as they ran down the hill towards the beach as he pulled out his sketch book and started sketching.

The sun has begun setting, basking the beach resort with its red light. In another hour they will be treated with a delicious buffet course and a massage if they wish.

He smiled as he sketched, becoming a super soldier does have its merits, even though many have to give up their lives just to make this possible.

He still could not believe that they were the only survivors from that procedure but he is not complaining as they are currently some of the most powerful men alive.

"Am I really just a historian now?" he thought to himself as he finished his sketch.

He knew that jumping from vehicle to vehicle in a highway is reckless, but what is the point of having all these enhancements if they do not use them to its fullest potential?

Despite that, this is a democratic vote from the team and he has to submit to their decision.

Only a few weeks before their joint operation against this so called "Omnic Crisis" with Singapore and Indonesia.

Last he heard, the armies will rally in Malaysia and will work its way through Asia, joining up with India first before Korea and China in another few months.

"Can't wait to sketch those for the history books" he thought.

Closing his sketchbook, he stood up...

And found himself under intense fire. The base is under attack.

The relaxed mood was painfully ripped away and was replaced by survival instincts as bullets whizzed past his head.

Everyone in his squad is suffering from vertigo, only he and their Sergeant are not. One by one they died so suddenly before him that he sobbed as he struggled against the hacked door, desperate to get it open.

There was Ahmad with his parang and pistol, slashing through hordes of Nulltroopers before he was taken down by Bastion units. Oliver was unexpectedly shot in the head by a ricochet. Hazir was stabbed through the heart.

He blinked and felt cold around his arms and legs, he looked down and saw that ice has formed around his body, stopping all bodily functions.

_Tap tap tap_

Looking forward, he screamed.

Jampang's pale eyes are staring at him, his face has been eaten away by maggots, his hands tapping on the glass as if trying to wake him up.

"Why have you forgotten your promise...?" the corpse groaned at him, it's voice clear and loud, as if it is speaking within the glass.

Quillion desperately tried to shout back, to tell it that he is trying, that he has not forgotten, but his lips are frozen shut.

"Zero... Why have you forgotten...?" it groaned again, its hands pressed against the glass as it inched closer to him, Quillion could almost smell its rotting breath as blood began to bleed from its pale white eyes.

"Find them… Kill everyone who gets in your way…"

It is inside the chamber now…

"Kill them all… Or join us now…" it said, wrapping its skeletal hands around his throat, strangling him slowly.

Maggots began falling down onto his face and he could feel them hungrily gnawing into his flesh.

Crying from fear he tried to beg or call for help, but he is frozen solid, there is no escape.

He could smell it's breath now. He could feel the maggots wriggling under his skin. Its bony fingers crushing his throat as the freezing cold gripped his body.

"Quil?"


	33. Chp 33 - Maximilien Comes to Egypt

*London Airspace: Near Heathrow Airport*

Lena was watching the final movie on her list when she realized that Quillion began tossing and turning in his sleep.

First she thought it was a sleeping habit when she notice that his movements are becoming increasingly violent.

"Quil?"

He began punching the seat in front of him as he tries to jump out of his seat but he fell back as he still wore his seatbelt.

"Quil!"

She unbuckled her belt and tried to wake him up but he continued punching, almost hitting her when she grabs him.

Some members of the crew and a few people are staring at them as Lena quickly caught and tie his hands with the seatbelts from the middle seat.

She quickly check for ways he could have been spiked but found nothing.

"Hey hey! Its fine, it's a nightmare" she said, shaking him by his shoulders.

She was surprised to see that when he opened his eyes, his once calm features are now twisted with fear.

"Where am I?" he demanded, blinking rapidly and looking around as if something is coming for him.

"It's alright luv, it's okay, you are okay" Lena said, forcing him to make eye contact with her.

"Where am I? Where is he?" he asked again, looking around.

"It's alright everyone! He's just having a nightmare" Lena called out to all who had been rudely woken up by him.

"Ahmad! Hazir! Oliver!" he called, trying to untie his hands.

"It's okay... Shh..." Lena comforted as she strokes his head.

It took another minute before Quillion calm down. She tried to talk to him about what happened but instead he quickly unties himself. Pulling out his sketch book, he immediately began sketching.

"Why... This never happened before..." she heard him muttering to himself.

"Quil?"

"I never had nightmares like that before. Never." he muttered, his focus entirely on the sketchbook.

A group of men in a beach came into view first.

There was two men shooting a bow and arrow at two targets with Quillion's and Ahmad's name on them, another digging into a medical bag that bore the name Hazir, and a huge man standing next to the targets with a clipboard.

"Are these your squadmates?" she asked quietly.

He did not hear her, instead, he flipped to a new page and began sketching a horrific picture.

It looked like a perspective from inside a glass chamber with what looked like a zombie outside of it, staring at them.

Once the sketches are done, Quillion studied them, oblivious to the people around him.

Gently, Lena place a hand over the sketch, making him jump as he looked at her.

He blinked once. Then twice.

"Lena?"

"What happened? Who are they?" she asked, pointing to the group of men in the beach.

"They are..." he began before he suddenly remembered a promise made decades ago to keep their identity secret.

Slamming the book shut he shook his head, making a mental note to burn the picture as soon as possible.

"Sorry, you should not have seen that"

Annoyed, Lena tried again.

"What about the zombie? Surely that is not something you have to hide?"

He thought about it and studied the page, checking if Jampang's name is on it or if his features will be recognizable. He shuddered as he looked back at the hollow eyes.

Slowly opening the book, he showed Lena the sketch, keeping a hand on the book in case she flips back to the squad.

"Well... I think after the war you should just start selling your sketches" she said with a smile, trying to cheer him up, also knowing that her questions will be met with silence.

"I never... Never... Have nightmares like this before... Especially one like that..." he said, feeling his face turn red with embarrassment.

Seeing his hand still gripped onto the book, she decided to ask anyway.

"Can't you... Ya know... Just break one promise? Just one?" she asked, burning with curiosity to see the sketch again.

"No... Sorry..."

"Do you even know why?"

"Just born that way I guess" he replied sheepishly.

"I suppose I can't make you promise not to have those kinds of nightmares again eh? Cause..."

She looked around and saw that some are still glancing towards their direction, whispering to one another.

"This isn't the best spot to have one ya know?"

"Ha... You'll be old and grey when that happens"

Glad that he is making jokes now, she passed the book back to him.

"I guess those chillis really did a number on you eh?"

"Unlikely... I'll need to test this theory again though"

Just then the announcement came on, calling for all passengers to return to their seats as they will be landing shortly.

"Quil! Hurry! Sketch the city now!" Lena said excitingly, pulling him to the window.

As she watch him sketch, another person is staring at them a few rows away.

"Interesting... Very interesting..." Sombra said, adjusting her hat and sunglasses before putting on her gloves.

* * *

*Egypt: Cairo*

Planning to establish himself quickly in the poverty stricken country, Maximilien made his presence known.

He stood before thousands as he attends the opening ceremony of his new hospital with the assurance that all expenses will be paid in full by Casino Monaco, bringing much needed relief to the people in the aid camps.

Furthermore, he donated huge cheques to schools and businesses, paying off debts and providing support to many that he deems profitable.

Soon he is considered as the second or a superior Mondatta. People see an Omnic who not only cares for the people but sacrifice much to actually make a difference. An Omnic who takes action, not words.

Public opinion of him soared in a matter of weeks and Egypt welcomed him with open arms as he gladly made himself at home.

"Humans are so gullible, aren't they?" he asked Bolts as they ride through the crowds in their limousine.

He did not say anything, silently shining Mondatta's shoes.

"It was so simple, throw them enough money and they'll all eat out of your palm" he summarized.

"You have indeed done a well to lie to the world" Bolts replied as he sat up.

Maximilien chuckled.

"I did not lie, they just did not want to hear what is being said"

"That you are just buying a spot for yourself in Egypt?"

"Oh, I would be surprised if they don't think that"

"Then what did they miss?"

"That they never needed me, that they are weak and never wanted to take the responsibility"

"The First Omnic Crisis has destroyed them, they were left with nothing" Bolts objected.

"Many nations have been left with nothing. Some dragged themselves out of the ashes, some simply build a casino and it placed them on the map, while some conquered the world. It has always been about themselves, they were just unwilling to do what is necessary"

"It can't be that simple, there are too many variables!"

Maximilien glanced at his butler. In normal circumstances he would have reminded him of his place, but today he is in a good mood.

"Tell me, what am I guilty of?"

"You admitted it yourself. You came in pretense to save this country but you are accelerating its ruin"

"How so?"

"In your own words, you have thrown "enough money at them", robbing them to rebuild in their own pacing, as they say, give a man a fish he will starve, teach him to fish you'll feed hi m for a lifetime"

"A quote from desperate men with no actual origins" Maximilien said lazily.

"Nevertheless, you have effectively starved them all"

"They starved themselves, I only lessened the pain of the starvation"

Bolts did not reply, only to bow his head, he had tried to speak some sense into him for years but it has always been ignored.

"I know you still have loyalties towards humans Bolt, but one day you will understand, to make them strong, we must kill off the weak as quickly as possible"

"You only believe that when you will be the richest among us all"

Maximilien chuckled as the limousine pulls to a stop.

"One must always maintain the highest possibility of success before making its next step" he said, muting Bolts through a transmitter he installed within his program.

The doors swung open, revealing two armed guards who have their weapons pointed at them.

Maximilien waited patiently as they scanned the vehicle, not wanting to waste any more time than required.

The guards nodded to one another and waved to the guardhouse behind them, opening the gate.

The limousine drove a little further down the path and reached a simple house, if one could call it that.

It is the size of a mansion but it is as plain as the desert. No decorations, no gardens, not even a flat road as the limo rocked and bounced on the rocky path. Just a large square box in the desert.

"Ahh our host is already waiting for us" Maximilien said.

Bolts turned around and saw that a man is standing in front of the house and like it, his attire is surprisingly plain as well.

His face is hidden behind a white mask, his hair tucked under a turban and robes that covered his body.

"Good afternoon Hakim, I trust you are well?" Maximilien asked.

"Greetings Maximilien, yes I am well, I hope that Talon wishes to do business with me again?"

"That is why I am here"

Though they could not see his face, they could tell there is a wide grin behind the mask.

"Please come in"

As they walked in, they were met with an almost depressing sight.

Bolts expected to see hidden treasures, that Hakim purposefully built a large plain house to hide a lavish lifestyle, but instead it was the total opposite.

The halls are empty and poorly lit, the canvases are littered with holes and tears, dust swirled in the breeze, and spiders made homes in every corner of the house.

As they entered the guest room, there was only two wooden chairs facing each other with a hookah in the middle.

"Please sit, forgive me for the lack of refreshments"

"There is no need for refreshments"

They took their seats as Bolts stood behind Maximilien.

"How may I be of service to Talon?"

"I have bought all of your assets and partners, in a matter of months I have gained more influence than what you could in 20 years without bribing anyone"

"I -"

"I am not finished"

His tone has changed, gone is the politeness that he usually displays in public, now it is the time for business.

"As we speak, I will earn triple of your yearly tribute to Talon within 4 months and I have established international trade with Russia and Italy while you smoke your days away"

Hakim looked to the guards listening in through the doors and saw in their eyes that they are already questioning his authority.

"I have Omnics will work for free and are absolutely loyal to me, so I do not need to worry about workers or loyalty. I can walk freely in the daylight without fear of arrest or retaliation while you scurry about in the night"

Abdul Hakim said nothing, stunned at the superior individual before him.

"As far as I can see Hakim, you have outlived your usefulness"

Standing up and adjusting his suit, Maximilien looked to the guards standing at the door.

"I will offer anyone who kills this man a future in Cairo, do it now"

Hakim looked fearfully at his guards, who looked at one another, then at him.

"Wait! Wait! Mr Maximilien, I... I still have a score to settle... And once I settle it, it will be a great contribution to Talon!" he implored on his knees before the Omnic.

"Very well... Speak"

"I know who the Black Mercenary is hunting, the Bastet, the Bastet who did this to me!"

Removing his mask, it revealed a mutilated face. Scars and burnt flesh covered his face and his nose showed signs of multiple fractures.

"The Black Mercenary only hunts agents of Overwatch, doesn't he? I know he does, I can eliminate Bastet for you, just give me time!"

At first Maximilien said nothing, sitting still as he studies the man in front of him before he began chuckling, which lead to laughter.

"Bolts... Would you kindly kill the guards?"

His butler's eyes flashed red and leapt towards the guards at the doors, quickly breaking their necks before they could react.

"Thank you... Thank you..." Hakim said, prostrating himself.

Only to be met with a kick in the face. Hard.

Falling backwards, he clutch his broken nose as blood flow freely from it. He looked up in confusion and saw that Maximilien has stood up and taken off his suit.

"It has been a while, I am going to enjoy this"

"W-why? I thought we had a deal! Isn't that why you killed my guards?"

"No, I killed them because they did not follow my instructions. But you... You wasted my time. I consider that a personal insult"

Crawling to the end of the room, Hakim grabbed a piece of wood on the floor and began swinging wildly at the approaching Omnic.

"I actually thought you have something to offer, but you dare to bargain with me with a task that you failed when you had power? This I cannot forgive"

"Please... Please!" Hakim begged.

"Bolts, please give us some privacy"

Bolts nodded and walked out as Maximilien rip the club out of Hakim's hands.

The beating was said to be so savage that the authorities submit to the fact that they will never find the crime lord's body, as the only way to gather him are from vulture droppings, which contain both his flesh and bones of various body parts.

The people celebrated at the news of his death, finally a scoundrel and traitor has been brought to justice. Combined with a citywide buffet that Maximilien organized to fight hunger, their future has begun to look as bright as the Egyptian sun.

But from the shadows of the celebration, an aged warrior, wearing her iconic Bastet mask, looked on with building rage at Maximilien, who is holding up a baby for pictures.

"Morrison, Maximilien is here and he has won the people. I need your help to take him down"

* * *

Greetings Overwatch and FanFiction fans!

I appreciate everyone who gives this Fanfic a read and even more so for those who has been with me since Chapter 1!

Just a little announcement from me.

Next week will not have any new chapters because I think I should spend some time to check every published chapter to polish it up and check for mistakes or rewrite harder to read paragraphs.

I can assure you that none of the core concepts or storyline will be changed, it is purely to just make it easier or attractive to read.

Once again I really appreciate everyone's support and have a good Valentines Day!


	34. Chp 34 - Disaster from The Front 1

*Russia: The Front*

Zipping through the skies with a Mech squad, Pharah observes the city of Perm for the third time tonight, flying as close as possible without entering the restricted airspace.

There have been reports of a strange red light emitting from the center of the city and it is getting brighter each day. So bright in fact that the army has begun to notice it during the day.

Most has written it off as psychological warfare, as the Null Sector has been known to do, but for Pharah, she needs to know for sure.

Ignoring the grumbling of the Mech pilots, she inched closer and closer to the city with each flight, carefully studying the anti-aircraft defenses, looking for openings in its system.

"Captain, I think I speak for the men that we need to return to the base" the Sergeant said.

"You can return whenever you wish, I think I'm seeing a pattern" she said.

She could feel the Sergeant roll his eyes in his cockpit as he translates to his men. They grumbled more but they remained as they were ordered to never leave a HSI member alone in the skies, especially if it is a Captain.

"What is that?" she pointed towards a seemingly large building that shifted slightly.

"That is the Titan that survived the last battle, now it is acting as a sentry for the city" the Sergeant said as he scans the massive heat signature.

"How are you so sure?"

"There were three Titans that attacked, we destroyed two, so left that one" he replied in a patronizing tone.

"And they couldn't make more?" she quizzed.

"Ne… They do not have the factories to make more Titans, even if they did, they could not make another one so soon"

Unconvinced, Pharah edged closer to the restricted airspace, annoyed that the Russians did not set their artillery closer to destroy the anti-aircraft weapons.

"Careful Captain, you're getting too close"

Ignoring them, she studied and realize that she could predict the pattern of the anti-aircraft guns. Seeing an opening she quickly calculated their flight path.

"We should be returning to base" the Sergeant said again, holding back a yawn.

"Follow my lead" she said, diving so quickly that the Mechs did not have time to dive with her, losing her among the clouds.

"Where is she?" one of them asked.

"She has gone from my scanner"

"Mine too!"

"There!" one of the pilots shouted, spotting a spark from Pharah's thrusters, flying low and speeding into the city.

Cursing, the Mechs dove after her.

"We should just shoot her out of the sky now and say the Omnics did it" one complained.

"Maintain radio silence, they could intercept" the Sergeant ordered.

Adopting a loose formation, each pilot silently prayed to remain undetected as they quickly caught up to her.

Miraculously they all landed on a building at the edge of the city unhindered.

* * *

*Russia: City of Perm*

"Captain, we cannot be here" the Sergeant whispered fearfully, using his speaker at its lowest volume.

Pharah ignored him as she looks over the darker side of the city facing the Front. She saw nothing but empty streets and rubbish littered everywhere.

"Captain?"

Walking over to the glowing side, she looked down and had to shield her eyes from the light as they adjust... Then froze.

"Didn't you say that the bulk of the Null Sector army is destroyed days ago?" she asked, leaning back from the ledge, swallowing the lump in her throat.

"Yes, can we get out of here now?"

"Scan the area for Omnics please"

"Fine, but when I'm done, we are…" his voice trailed away as the results of the scan displayed before his eyes.

"That... That's not possible" he choked.

Pharah said nothing as she slowly peaks her head out again, observing the sight below them.

Thousands upon thousands of Nullifiers stood in the streets, accompanied by a Behemoth every few meters. This is not remnants of a defeated army, but one that is set to invade and conquer.

They stood still as statues, the core in their chests burns red with plasma energy, their armor new and shiny, their weapons primed and ready.

All facing a single direction.

The path to Moscow.

They spotted an Omnium far away and a battalion of new Null Sector infantry marched out in perfect sync as they added themselves to the army.

"We are doomed" a pilot whispered, his voice trembling as he reads his scans.

"Shut it" the Sergeant snapped, he could barely contain his own fear and having another man whimpering nearby is not helping.

"But-"

"I said shut it!"

Pharah pulled out a datapad and began twirling the dials while the pilots tighten their formation, their sweaty hands gripping their levers tightly, their eyes darting around as if they were trying to see through the dark.

"Got it" she said.

The screen reads:

01010011 01110100 01100001 01101110 01100100 01100010 01111001

"What does that mean?" the Sergeant ask.

"Nothing we need to worry about… Wait… I'm picking up something else"

00110011 01001000 00110000 00110100 01001101 00110010 00110001 01010011 00001010  
00110011 01001000 00110000 00110100 01001101 00110010 00110000 01010011 00001010  
00110011 01001000 00110000 00110100 01001101 00110001 00111001 01010011 00001010  
00110011 01001000 00110000 00110100 01001101 00110001 00111000 01010011 00001010

"Tell me that is not something we have to worry about too"

"We need to return to base. Now" she said, quickly storing her datapad.

Suddenly the earth shook, nearly knocking them off balance.

"Earthquake?" a pilot asked.

But their questions are quickly answered as it walks by them, causing them all to hide behind whatever they could find.

A troop of Titans, each larger than the sentry, walk through the empty street, taking each step simultaneously, causing the tremors with every step.

Each looked like they are designed for a different purpose, one armed with rockets and a rail gun, while another is only fitted with rows upon rows of armor like a turtle, and another has huge artillery cannons protruding from its back.

"Let's get out of here!" a pilot said, activating his thrusters but he was stopped when the Sergeant pointed a cannon at him.

"Sergeant?"

"Every Titan can track everything above them. You fly, we die"

Looking for a way out, Pharah saw that all the windows in the opposite building has been shattered.

"Follow my lead into the next building" she whispered.

They looked over and raised their right arm, signaling that they understood.

"Alright men, one thrust and we glide over"

The Mechs quickly take their positions and ready their engines.

"Go now!"

She activated her jump packs and flew into the apartment on the opposite side of the street. Using her concussive rocket, she shot herself to the other side of the room to avoid being crushed by the Mechs.

But no one came. She landed alone.

Looking back, she saw that no one has moved from their position, their Mechs bracing to launch.

She tried to get their attention by waving but received no response.

Cursing, she turned on her communicator and bypass their mute system.

"Sergeant, get your men moving" she scolded as her visor flashed a warning sign that her call has been intercepted.

"Sergeant! Move!" she said again.

She heard doors being flung open from below and multiple footsteps climbing the stairs.

Looking down from the window, she watched as a crowd of Nullifiers began pouring into her and the opposite building.

"Sergeant they are coming for you!"

But the Mechs did not move, still in its launching stance.

Nullifiers burst into her room, forcing her to fire a rocket at the door before flying towards the Mechs. As she rocketed towards the squad, hundreds of purple bolts skirt past her.

Weaving through the deadly volley, she shot some of her own rockets into the lower floors, hoping to slow their advance.

Without stopping, she ran just as she landed towards the Mechs.

Banging her fist against the glass, she yelled at the pilot when a group of Nullifiers kicked the door open and began firing at them.

Most of the bolts bounced harmlessly off the Mechs but Pharah knew its armor can only withstand a so much damage.

"Fight or die!" she shouted as she shot the door, collapsing it onto the Nullifiers, but not before a grenade is thrown at them.

Pharah barely had time to jump away before it exploded near the Mech, causing it to fall down on its side.

Looking up from the ground she saw a fire began engulfing it as its fuel leaked out.

"No!"

Using the butt of her rocket launcher, she tried to break the glass but to no avail.

"Cover your face!" she shouted before she shatters it with a Concussive Blast, revealing a strange sight.

The pilot is dead in his seat, his back hunched over the controls and his face filled with concentration as if he was just about to launch his Mech to the apartment.

Fearing the worst, she loaded another concussive rocket into her wrist and shot it at the Mech next to them, which still has not moved, shattering its cockpit cover.

The pilot is looking straight ahead towards the apartment, unfazed or unconcern of everything else happening around them.

To her horror both pilots have a small trail of blood flowing down their mouths.

It was as if they just died.

Before she could investigate further, the Nullifiers broke through the collapsed stairway and resumed their attack.

Unable to hold them off, she flew straight into the air to avoid the shower of grenades thrown at them.

She looked down with rage as each Mech is destroyed one at a time as the Nullifiers concentrated their fire, leaving nothing more than burning scrap.

Her visor flashed red as it detected a few missiles locked onto her, forcing her to fly away as quickly as her jetpacks allowed.

As she flew out of the block, anti-aircraft guns opened fire and despite her best efforts, she began to be knocked around as the bullets began bouncing off her armor.

"Don't stop. Don't stop" she kept telling herself.

Just as she flew out of range of the Null Sector guns, she suddenly lurched off her flight path, zig zagging randomly in the air as she felt her jetpack vibrating violently.

She did a quick diagnosis and it showed that she has been shot through her stomach and the bullet damaged her jetpack.

Switching to auto-pilot for hovering, she looked down and saw that indeed there is a large hole in her armor. Pulling out a needle in her vambrace, she quickly inject the contents through her neck, hoping it will be enough to numb the coming pain.

She looked up and saw that she is only halfway to her destination, another 30 miles.

And the missiles are streaking towards her.

Testing her jetpack, she realize that it has lost 80% of its speed. She is effectively dead in the air and not enough time to land before the missiles hit her.

Unable to run or hide, the hot-headed Egyptian strap her rocket launcher to her back and ensured her hovering is steady.

Gritting her teeth, she steel herself for what is about to come.

"Closer... Closer..."

The moment the missiles came into range, she roared out a defiant warcry as her shoulder and knee pads burst open, unleashing a volley of her own rockets, tackling the missiles head on.

* * *

*Russia: RDF Base near City of Kazan*

Promoted to Captain of the Conscripts Division, Maksim sat silently as his Lieutenant finished his report regarding the Division, barely listening as he is shaken to his core at the task before him.

"How did it come to this? I was merely invited to sit in and listen..." he thought to himself.

He was invited to participate in the meeting with his Lieutenant to learn and within just a few days he is promoted and is in command of 15,000 who are not even trained properly.

"And Perm? Do we have any additional intel?" he asked, licking his dry lips.

"Only less patrols around the city since the last battle"

Looking out the window, he saw the glorious Osvoboditel' assembled out in the fields, 20,000 in total.

Their discipline shown for all to see as they marched in an impressive unified pattern, lifting high their most unique aspect proudly as it led the march.

The Osvoboditel' flag, battered but proud. In fact, the injuries it carries complimented the image that it displays. A bear standing over a pile of Omnics, its head high and roaring to the heavens as it liberates itself from the chains of war.

It is a well-known fact that it was this very flag that flew victoriously over the last omnium in the closing days of the First Omnic Crisis.

An army within the army, the Osvoboditel' are granted their own tanks, vehicles, armor, and the most powerful weapons in the Russian arsenal.

However, the army is still not fully equipped as there are still divisions of men without weapons, the next shipment said to be delivered within the week.

"At least they still eat the same things the rest of the army eats from the hard light crates..." he thought to himself, annoyed at the fact his division has to eat from lesser quality products to clear out the storage.

If only he is leading those men instead of a group of civilians…

"Beautiful isn't it Lieutenant?" he said.

"I personally think they are nothing more than glory boys… Sir" was his reply.

Maksim looked at him while hiding his surprise.

"You think the conscripts can do better?"

"I think the RDF should remain as one army, not splintered off to different variants, sir"

"You are dismissed, get the men ready for the march, we leave tomorrow" Maxim said, sitting down.

Saluting, the Lieutenant left the room.

Pulling out a file, Maksim reviewed the Lieutenant's profile and noticed that he was a seasoned veteran of the First Omnic Crisis.

"That explains his view of the Osvoboditel'…"

Pulling another file towards him, he re-read the details that he had read so many times before.

His Division is made up of 8 Infantry Regiments, accompanied by 2 Armored Regiments.

They were equipped with what High Command label as 'sufficient quality' weapons but it was such an obvious lie that it is insult just to read it.

Old Kalashnikova designs with minimal armor piercing capabilities, a simple flak jacket, basic winter clothing, and a booklet, teaching them the most effective way to engage the Null Sector.

Their Armored Regiments only consists of APCs, which will be the vanguard. It took only an hour to convince the conscripts that these are IFV variants by mounting a PKM or grenade launcher on it.

"No artillery support… No aerial support… No reinforcements…" he thought to himself.

His stomach cramping he doubled over to his trash can and heaved, but nothing came out as he had not eaten anything for days.

Then the door burst open.

"Captain! We need to leave now!"

Pretending to pick up a pen, Maksim sat back up and saw that the color has left the Lieutenant's face.

"What is wrong Lieutenant?"

"It's the Front! The Front is gone!"

"It is what? What happened to it?"

"It has fallen! We are ordered to go reinforce it now!"

* * *

*Gibraltar: Watchpoint*

"Morrison! Morrison!"

He groaned in his sleep, it was his first good sleep in months and it happens to be the first time he is interrupted during his sleep as well.

"This better be important" he called out.

"The Front is gone! The Null Sector is preparing to break out!" Winston shouted.

Without another thought, Morrison tore the door open and ran towards the War Room with Winston close behind.

"Athena! Show me!" he shouted.

The map of Russia is projected for him and satellite images shocked him to his core.

"Why aren't the Russians firing?"

"We do not know, but we need to do something fast" Winston said.

"Recall everyone. Now. And inform the United Nations, they need to know"

"Yes Jack" Athena said, sending out messages as she spoke.

With nothing else they could do, they watched helplessly as the Null Sector army marched out of Perm.

Like a moving farm, the Null Sector marched out in neat rows. Miles upon miles of battle ready Omnics fill No Man's Land, accompanied by some of the largest Titans ever fielded.

But what disturbed Morrison the most is that once they marched out, they stopped within the confines of the non-existent perimeter, as if waiting for something.


	35. Chp 35 - Bodyguard Duty 1

*England: London*

The air was cold and dry, the sun has hidden itself behind the thick clouds and the airport is bustling with activity.

Lena stepped out, smiling happily as she scans the crowd. It was not long before she saw her.

"Emily!" she shouted, running towards her.

"Lena!" a woman cried out, matching her enthusiasm.

Both women happily embrace each other as Quillion came with all the luggage.

"Emily, let me introduce you to the Caveman! This is Tim" she introduced.

"Great to finally meet you, Lena has told me a lot about you, though you look nothing like a caveman" Emily said with a smile.

"Pleasure" he replied.

Though he tried his best to match the positive vibe but he could not help but feel a sting of jealousy at the happy couple before him.

"Common! Both of you must be knackered! Let's go back to my place" Emily said excitingly.

Pulling Lena with her, she gave him quick look and added playfully.

"Well common then! The sooner we get back, the sooner we can have a cuppa!"

Quillion stood there as they ran off, trying to figure out what she just said.

Knackered? Cuppa?

Though Lena used strange words, they were somewhat more understandable.

"Well she was working with people from other countries for years so it makes sense that she toned the slangs down" he thought to himself, wishing he worked with the British army before.

Squaring his shoulders, he ran after them, careful to keep a certain distance so people will not suspect he is a bodyguard.

They took a 'tube' to King's Cross Station and excitedly ran through the crowd, oblivious to the fact that Quillion lost sight of them.

He looked around frantically before he spotted them in the distance due to Emily's red hair, which annoyed him that he needed to use her as a beacon.

Lena was like a tourist and Emily the tour guide as they ran endlessly to different parts of London.

First they took a detour to Queen Mary's Rose Gardens to look at the Christmas Decorations before running to the University of London, where he almost had a fight with an Omnic who picked up a bag that he dropped as he ran. He was barely able to catch up when they stopped outside the British Museum, Emily saying something to Lena before they ran off again.

Making a beeline down to China Town through the impressively curved Regent Street to look at various shops, they ran past Trafalgar Square, pushing through a crowd watching a live performance, before stopping again at Buckingham Palace to laugh at something, which he saw from afar that they were imitating the Queen's Guards before darting off.

What surprised Quillion however, was how far Emily's place is. He thought since they travel on foot it is close from the station, but it took them about 2 hours to reach from King's Row.

He also noticed that even from this distance, he could tell that Lena is happier than she's ever been with anyone in Overwatch. In fact he could not think of anyone that is happier than she is now.

But what concerns him is that they are getting dangerously close to King's Row but breathed a sigh of relief when they ran towards Hyde's Park instead.

By the time they finally reached the apartment building, they were both panting and laughing as Quillion slowed to a walk as he made his way towards them, studying their surroundings carefully.

"Wow… You kept up" Lena panted.

"Yeah… You are not like the previous few sloths who were assigned to us" Emily added.

Kept up? Sloth?

"You mean there are previous bodyguards that you both avoided?"

They just smile at each other knowingly before laughing. He quickly made a mental note on this to be at high alert not only for any potential attack, but now to keep track of Lena carefully.

"Impressive, you manage to drag all this along too, guess your gym muscles ain't for show" Emily said as she grab Lena's luggage off him.

"Well, our apartment is number 414, buzz us here whenever you want to visit" Emily said.

She pointed to the buzzers next to the door, surprising him. Buzzers still exist?

"So I take it that I am staying somewhere nearby?"

"Yup, just next door so in case things go to pot, you can come over immediately" she said, indicating to the building on their right.

"All to what?" Quillion asked disguising his frustration with a fake pant.

"If there is trouble, you are close by" Lena said quickly.

"Yup!" Emily said brightly "Here are your keys. Get yourself some rest and come over in an hour for a cuppa!"

With that they quickly enter their apartment building and slammed the door, but not before he saw Emily push Lena against the wall, locking her lips on Lena's just as the door closes, enflaming him with jealous anger.

He was about to reach out to force the door open when he heard them moaning through it.

"Stupid stupid stupid!" Quillion scolded himself.

Why does he even feel jealousy like a schoolboy? Lena is an amazing young woman, why shouldn't she be in a relationship?

Besides, Emily has been her girlfriend for a long time and they've waited for this day for years, of course they would act this way...

He only knew her for less than a year and he never actually made any attempts to be more than her friend.

Still... It lingers on like a bad taste.

"Maybe I really am tired..." he said to himself as he tore away from the door to his apartment.

His room was better than he expected, the only complaint he would give would be the neighbour's dog that is barking.

It contained everything expected for an apartment. A queen size bed, a spacious shower, clean kitchen, but most importantly, his window is facing Lena's building.

Opening the biggest luggage, he chuckled when it contained another bag inside that has a label 'Standard Equipment' in Torbjorn's handwriting.

"Talk about a Bag-ception" he joked to himself.

To his disappointment, the bag does not contain any weapons, only holo recorders, communication interceptors, a small black box, and an Emergency Beacon.

After installing all the necessary hardware in and outside his apartment, he opened the black box and saw it contains a pair of sunglasses with an instructions manual and a note.

He could not believe his eyes when he read that what he is holding is state of the art X-Ray Trackers that will have friendlies glow green and unknowns as red as long as there is body heat.

Putting on the glasses he was amazed at the quality that the screen transmits when he looked at himself. Besides the red glow, the details are so clear it was as if he was using his own eyes.

Looking directly ahead, he could see that the neighbour's dog but it is somewhat blurred.

Eagerly he read the note and laughed at a clearly angry warning from Torbjorn's.

_Whoever is using this, stop spying on people! If I see another clip of you snooping around, you're gonna regret it!_

Following the instructions, he input his DNA into it via a needle that popped out.

A list of people came up on screen who have previously input their data and he notice that Lena has already added hers.

Testing the glasses once more, he saw his body gave a steady green glow while other rooms with occupants remain red. He could easily see people and animals going through their routines.

"Wow... Now this is nice" he thought to himself.

He looked out his window and was surprised to find that a green glow is directly in front of him, and she is frolicking with the red glow on a bed, obviously being intimate.

Very intimate.

Jealousy raged within him once more as he rip the glasses off.

"Calm... Calm..."

*One Hour Later*

Quillion must've buzzed three times with no answer, which annoyed him slightly as his hands became numb from the cold, still unfamiliar with the climate. He took the time to look around and appreciate his surroundings.

The buildings still used old-fashioned bricks and are bursting with its English culture.

Further down the street there are people enjoying their beer in a pub, which is fascinating for him because it is only 3pm.

He could not help but appreciate how different and unique the culture is from what he was used to.

He took great care not to use the glasses as it has a recording software that HQ will study after his mission is complete. Instead, he walked to the alley between their buildings and check their window for any signs of a break in, but nothing was out of the ordinary.

He walked back and pressed the buzzer the for the fourth time.

"Who is it?"

"Tim" he replied promptly.

"Oh, common in!" Emily replied as the door click open and was met with warm air, which he quickly stepped into. He took a moment to warm up before taking the elevator, making a mental note where the staircases and potential exits are.

It was not long before he found door 414, which was decorated with a Christmas Wreath. Just when he was about to knock, Lena opened the door.

"Heya!" she said cheerfully, "Common in then luv! You must be freezin'"

The first thing he noticed was that she was not wearing her Chronal Accelerator, just a simple white shirt and her orange leggings.

Looking around, he saw that the apartment is also quite comfortable.

Spacious and well decorated, it brims with the vibe of a home that he had not felt for a very long time.

"Make yourself at home, Emily's making us some tea, be right back!" Lena said, leading him to the sofa before walking into what he presumed is the kitchen.

Looking at the balcony he saw that her Chronal Accelerator is charging under the Christmas Tree.

Then he saw the bag that contained his pistol on the seat in front of the sofa.

As he retrieved it, he saw polaroids stuck onto the wall under a tray of books.

Studying the pictures, he saw the majority of them are of Lena and Emily holding up Track Trophies, as if they competing with one another for the first place.

"Well... That explains how they could run across half of London without stopping..." he thought to himself.

From the pictures, he learned that Emily is working as a nurse and Lena spent most of her time as a pilot.

"They look... Happy..." he thought to himself as he took a seat on the sofa.

If given the chance, could he make someone that happy?

Clattering sounds turned him around as Lena and Emily came back with some tea and biscuits and sat down next to him, with Lena in the middle.

"So... It's Quil isn't it? Since you are our bodyguard, I suppose you would have to be around us like a tick eh?"

"If that means I'll be nearby at all times? Yes" he said, accepting the tea from Emily with a nod of thanks

"Well don't go spying on us then, we need our privacy too ya know?" she said with a mischievous wink and poking Lena, making her jump.

"Ooookay! I think it is time to change the subject!" Lena exclaimed, her face bright red with embarrassment.

Quillion pretended not to see this by raising his teacup higher as he drank, his teeth gritting on the mug with annoyance.

"I agree, we need to discuss our escape plan if something does happen" pressing a few buttons from a device on his wrist and a map of London appeared above it.

It was a simple plan, Quillion will clear a path to the safehouse (codename: The Pub) and distract the attackers long enough until reinforcements arrive. If the safehouse is compromised, they will need to relocated to the extraction zone somewhere near the outskirts of the city (codename: Farm).

To his appreciation, both Lena and Emily listened intently, though their munching and slurping did annoy him. Especially when they kept holding hands.

He also noticed that he is getting annoyed too easily.

After what felt like 10 minutes Quillion looked out the window and was shocked to find it completely dark outside.

"Wha...? Did I take that long to explain everything?" he asked in shock.

He looked at the time and saw that it is only 4:30pm, causing him to run towards the window to check if anything is blocking the lights.

Both women laugh as they witness his reaction.

"Don't worry Quil, it gets dark here much faster during the winter periods, thought you'd have read that up" Lena explained.

He felt his face grow hot and shrugged.

"I never been to Europe" he said blankly.

Emily stared at those words.

"You really are a caveman aren't you my duck? Where'd you find him Lena?" Emily exclaimed.

"Duck? That 'Caveman' title again?" he thought, his anger flared again at the supposed insult.

A kettle whistled loudly from the kitchen.

"Bollocks!" Emily said, running to the kitchen.

His anger must've been visible as Lena quickly stood up to confront him.

"You need to calm down luv, 'Duck' is just a slang for 'Dear' here, don't worry about it" she whispered.

"But why would she even call me a duck?" he replied harshly.

"It's because you said that the UK is part of Europe"

"It is isn't it?!"

"You didn't read much about our history haven't you?"

"Only about your mission at King's-"

He paused in horror as she stares at him.

Quickly turning around, he looked down to her Chronal Accelerator, unable to meet her gaze.

"I'm sorry, I'm just..."

"It's alright" she said sincerely.

"Anyone hungry? I know a great chippy nearby!" Emily said as she returned from the kitchen.

"Same place?" Lena asked excitingly.

"The very same" Emily replied happily.

"A what?" Quillion asked.

* * *

*London: Chippy?*

The place is bustling with customers, the smell of chips filled the air, accompanied by the sound of scalding hot oil deep frying fish. Turns out a "chippy" is a fish and chips outlet a few streets away.

"I'll take the Cod with chips!" Emily ordered.

"Haddock for me!" Lena added.

Quillion waited for them to take their seats near the window before he walked in and simply pointed to an order without actually looking and sat on the other side of the store that has an old metal table.

He took the time to record down their activities on the mission journal while eavesdropping on random customers.

Mostly their conversations revolved around Christmas shopping, family visitations, while some are angry as they had to work on Christmas day.

"Excuse me amigo, is this seat taken?" a woman asked, grabbing the chair opposite him.

The first thing that strikes him about her is her eyes, which are purple.

"Omnic?" he thought, but her eyes are too lively to be machine, they brim of mischief and confidence.

He shook his head observed her as she adjust the chair to face the kitchen before sitting down.

Despite wearing a bulky jacket, jeans and a cap, he could see her body structure is similar to Lena's.

Having being trained to recognize potentially dangerous individuals, he could tell she is no pushover, maybe even some combat experience?

"A vet from some army?" he thought to himself.

"Like what you see?" she said with a sly smile, her eyes shifted from the kitchen to him.

His eyes quickly darted to where Lena is and saw that they are still chatting away, oblivious to his presence.

"Ahh... You're a stalker... Tsk tsk tsk... Naughty naughty" the woman said, following his gaze.

"You better find yourself a new seat if you don't want to get hurt" he threatened.

"Calm down, I was only teasing" she said, raising both her hands in mocking surrender. He notice both her hands have exceedingly long nails under the gloves.

"Tease someone else"

"Common, don't be so fresa about it, you're the only stalker here with hair looking at her"

Those words caught his attention.

"What?"

"I don't like bald men, they always look like they're up to something ya know?"

"No, you said they are looking at her, who is looking at her?"

The woman's order came and she took it with a nod of thanks.

"Have a good Christmas" the woman said, standing up.

He was about to stand up to ask more questions but she leaned forward and reach out her hand towards him.

"Don't follow me, just watch out for bald guys" she said, tapping his nose and saying "Boop" before walking away.

"Maybe she is a troublemaker, just a bunch of lies" he thought.

Sitting back down, he could not help but to begun to scan the room for bald men, which there isn't any.

"Yup, a liar and a troublemaker..."

* * *

"Can't wait to eat this!" Emily said as they walk back to their apartment with their piping hot fish and chip.

"Mind filling me in what is the plan for tomorrow?" Lena asked.

"We are going to Old Trafford for the big game!" she said, smiling proudly.

Lena squealed with delight.

"How did you get the tickets?"

Keeping a reasonable distance, Quillion tried to push the woman's words out of his mind but he could not.

By the time they reached the street of their apartment, he waited at the end of the street as a precaution, waiting a few minutes or so before going into his room.

After turning on the heater he opened the bag and is impressed with the presentation.

The golden coating for the fish is sizzling hot and crispy, covered with a dash of red chili sauce, the chips are thick and soft but crunchy, a golden-brown sauce over the steaming mashed potatoes, accompanied with a cup of mushy peas.

"This would be a great addition to the sketch book" he thought.

But he knew better than to leave something like this out in the cold.

He smiled and ate the best fish and chips he has ever tasted.

Satisfied, he stepped into the shower and as he was adding shampoo to his head, there was a knock on the door.

He whipped his head towards the door, wondering if it is the neighbor's door when the knocking started again.

"Quil? It's me, you asleep?"

Lena?

He ran out of the showers and looked at the holo camera he set up. Through stinging eyes, he saw it is Lena outside of his door.

Alone.

"Give me a minute!" he called.

Pushing away the ridiculous thought to open the door with nothing but his towel on, he threw one whatever he could grab.

"Am I bothering you? I can always come back later" she asked.

"Oh no, not at all" he said as he opened the door.

An awkward silence set between them, which is odd as she always have something to say.

"You... Want to come in?"

She shook her head.

"Actually, I just have two things to say to you. First, I'm sorry if Emily caused you a lot of frustrations today"

"Ahh... She wasn't that bad, just the jetlag" he lied.

"Second" she said, ignoring his reply "I need you do me a huge favor because you are the only person I trust here"

"Sure, what is it?"

"You have to promise me that you will go through with this" she said.

"You know I always keep my –" Quillion began.

"Promise me" she cut him off, looking at him in the eye.

He looked at her curiously, it is not like her to be so assertive. She should know that he would do anything for her, let alone make a promise on it.

"I promise I'll do this favor for you"


	36. Chp 36 - Disaster from the Front 2

*Russia: Volskaya Industries*

It was supposed to be a daily routine. Many went to work and expected another boring day.

One of the main tasks of the RD Department are to study the effectiveness of every Mech in the field via livefeed, endlessly improving the current models to keep themselves ahead of the competition.

For months, they watched without much complaint, silently going by their work through the week.

But today. Today is different.

An urgent complaint came from them. A complaint so unusual that it was first written off simply as a lag or interference from the snowstorm that is now battering St Petersburg.

When the tests came back, they were confused when it is concluded that there is no lag in their systems nor is the snowstorm affecting their connections.

Everything is working just as it should.

First came denial, there is no reason what they were seeing is more probable than having some sort of glitch in the system.

Demands to check for malware, hacks, and recordings became an hourly request, even going so far to conduct independent audits to investigate if a colleague is playing a joke on them, but each test came back negative, to everyone's frustration.

Katya herself has to intervene to prevent a fight that threatened to break out between the RD and Maintenance Teams, calling for selected members to her office to review the feed herself.

"You sure nothing is wrong with the feed?" Katya asked as she watch with disbelieving eyes.

"We checked and checked, there is nothing wrong with the feed" the Head of Maintenance confirmed.

"This is no possible! There has to be something wrong!" a RD staff whispered.

Katya remained stoic amongst the panicked staff, standing tall as the pillar of the company that she always has been.

Every camera may show a different location but every single one has the same pattern.

They are all not moving, as if someone paused a movie.

"Show me one that overlooks the trenches"

It was not long before someone found it.

"Going on screen"

From this angle, it looked like the Mech is in the middle of a patrol and does not have the entire trench in view.

"Find another" Katya ordered as they observe the current footage.

It looked peaceful in the snowfall, though there is a strange red glow that flooded the screen.

From what they could see, the trenches showed scars from the previous battle, but relatively reinforced. The sandbags are restored, concrete bunkers are rebuilt, and more guns are mounted across the trench.

But it is too peaceful.

"Is it supposed to be this... Empty?" one of them asked.

"Show us the recording from two days ago on the other screen, same time" another instructed.

This time the Mech is marching along the Front, which is alive with activity.

They saw men marching across the trenches, either carrying boxes or replacing shifts. Multiple trucks and jeeps are driven around endlessly like a colony of ants, and in the distance, they could see Mech pilots conducting their daily patrols in the skies.

It is in direct contrast to the current feed where the Front is seemingly abandoned.

"M-maybe they are all taking shelter from the snow?"

"Bring up the weekly schedule for this Mech and average them with five others" Katya demanded.

With a few keystrokes, the schedule was brought up.

_Monday Tasks – 100%_

_Tuesday Tasks – 57% (Due to Battle)_

_Wednesday Tasks – 100%_

_Thursday Tasks – 70% (Unknown Error – Investigations Required)_

_Friday Tasks – 0% (Unknown Error – Applicable for Court Martial)_

"If only we could see if anyone is piloting the Mech or remotely control it"

Katya ignored the hidden insult, as it was her expressed instructions to disconnect all Mechs from their control ever since Sombra infiltrated the facilities to protect the identity and mass hacking of all Mechs.

"Oh God..." one whispered.

They looked at him and saw that his face has turned ghostly white.

"What did you find?" Katya asked.

He said nothing as he began to tremble and began hyperventilating.

Snatching the screen away from his hands, his colleague looked and he squinted at the screen for a moment before the color left his face.

"Put it up on screen" Katya demanded, catching his attention.

With trembling hands, he shared the video.

It is a different angle for the Front and, from this side, dread wrapped around them like a cold blanket.

Hundreds, if not thousands of statues and dummies has been set up. Some looked like they are standing as sentries while many looked like they are imitating a march.

But they knew that the RDF uses no such tactics as they try to register the eerie sight.

The elements of the RDF are present but stood still where they are, snow piling up on their bodies and their clothes shifted ever so slightly in the wind.

Some are in the middle of loading up a truck with supplies, another is a pilot who was about to climb into his Mech, and some seemed to be warming up around a barrel where a fire used to be.

They could see from the closest soldiers that they are heavily frost bitten and their pale eyes staring straight ahead.

There was no sign of a struggle. In fact, there was no sign of anything except for a soft red glow.

It was as if they just... Died...

"It's... It's the light! The light killed them!" they hyperventilating staff shouted in panic.

"Be quiet!"

"It's the light! The light!"

"Shut up!"

"QUIET!" Katya shouted, bringing much needed silence back into the room.

"First, we are going to gather as much information as we can and send it to the military immediately" she instructed.

"Second, we need to hire as many pilots as we can to pilot our current Mechs to fortify our facility, if the Null Sector attacks, we need to be ready"

"Third, we need to bring Zarya here as soon as possible"

Everyone ran out of the office to perform their duties, leaving Katya alone in her office.

After locking the door, she looked at the image of the dead army once more and felt her knees grow weak. Quickly sitting on the chair, she threw up in a trash bin and began to cry as she reached her breaking point.

She survived two assassinations that almost took her life, first she gave into blackmail, second she was showered with flesh and blood, and now... Now before her eyes are thousands of corpses as if Death is reminding her that it is nearby.

"Why... Why me..." she thought to herself.

Through her tears she sees the picture of her daughter.

Seeing her smile and blue eyes, Katya felt strength return to her bones.

Wiping off her tears, she steadied herself once more and brought up a Mech Blueprint. After studying it for a moment, a spark of inspiration clicked in her mind.

"Bring up a construction crew now, we have work to do" she called through her wristband.

* * *

*Gibraltar: Watchpoint*

Everyone who received the call came back as soon as they are able. The first to return is Reinhardt, then Torbjorn, Brigitte, and finally McCree.

Morrison, Winston, Angela, Genji, and Mei waited for them in the Meeting Room, their eyes fixated on the Null Sector Army, represented by red lines, assembled outside the City of Perm projected before them.

When McCree took his seat, Morrison wasted no time.

"Here is the situation, the Null Sector is about to launch a worldwide invasion and most likely they will liaise with the Gwishin -"

"Wait, where is Lena?" Brigitte asked.

"Yes, we cannot start without her!" Reinhardt added.

"I have decided that it is more advantageous that she remains in England" Morrison responded.

Everyone looked at him with confusion. Why would he exclude her from this?

He noticed their confusion and decided to settle this first.

"Athena, show them"

A footage from a gossip channel played before them and someone posted a video of a woman zipping through the buildings and a man levitating behind her.

"Who is that?" Angela asked, pointing to the man behind the woman.

"It's him, the man who controls gravity" Genji answered, causing everyone to look at him.

"How are you so sure?" she asked.

"Look at his right arm, he is causing two objects to float"

Sure enough, the man in the video is 'holding' something in the air.

"Where is he?" Genji said.

"And who is this purty lady?" McCree interjected, zooming to the blue skinned woman, whistling when he admires her 'assets'.

"Amélie Guillard" Morrison said, wiping the smirk off McCree's face instantly.

"Wait... You mean... That's Lacroix's..."

"Yes"

"You're telling me she shot Amari?"

"Yes"

McCree sat back in silence as he processes the information.

"They are both seen in London yesterday, presumably they are looking for something or someone there, so Agent Oxton is to remain in London until further notice"

"Permission to join her" Genji requested.

"No, every one of you are needed elsewhere"

Changing the hologram back to the world map, he drew their next plan of action.

"We do not have the strength to assist in the main fighting, so we strike at their most sensitive operations"

Genji and McCree will go to Egypt to liaise with a contact that Morrison has arranged to take down the suspected financial foundation of the Null Sector.

Reinhardt, Torbjorn, and Angela will go to the city of Perm to shut down major Null Sector Facilities to cripple its military might.

Morrison, Winston, Brigitte and Mei will remain in Spain to standby as the final strike against the Null Sector or reserves to assist where they are needed.

"What about the countries closest to Russia? Wouldn't they be attacked?" Winston asked.

"Korea's MEKA forces should be sufficient and I have faith in the American forces, for the rest … Hopefully the United Nations will take action" Morrison said.

"How come I get to stay back in the base while the rest goes out to fight?" Brigitte asked.

"You will be in the field soon, I can promise you that" Morrison replied, almost sorrowfully.

"Why not now?" she shot back.

"Because I do not know where the enemy will strike next, once they do, you will be waiting for them"

"Do not worry Brigitte, you will have your glory" Reinhardt added as he pats her shoulder.

Looking downcast, she silently nodded.

"Looks like we are going on a mission again partner" McCree laughed.

"Let us hope your aim is better than before" Genji sighed.

* * *

*Southern India: Vishkar Corporation*

Sanjay paced nervously in his office.

A message from Talon states that someone will come to visit him to discuss something important and he is to ensure his schedule is free for the entire week.

"Why would they come to visit? Maximilien was supposed to discuss everything"

Unless...

"No... He wouldn't rat me out, we've always been good friends" he thought to himself.

The phone rang, making him jump.

"Yes?"

"Open the door" a voice growled.

Sanjay gasped in fear. He knows this voice.

Why would HE come?

"Give me a second!"

He slammed the phone down and ran to the corner where he hid his personal Hard Light Armor.

"That will not be necessary"

Sanjay froze, the voice is coming from inside the room now.

"D-D-Do you want a drink Mr Ogundimu?" Sanjay asked fearfully as he stood up slowly.

"No, I merely wish to congratulate you on behalf of Talon for your efforts to destroy the RDF"

"O-oh... Thank you" Sanjay said, relieved.

"But… There is a slight problem"

"W-what?"

He turned around and was shocked to find that it is a Talon Assassin holding up a hologram of Ogundimu back in his office.

"I received a report from a Council Member that you are trying to walk away with an enormous amount of wealth?"

"Tell me who this man is and I'll-"

"Do you deny it?"

Sanjay grasp for words as the Assassin walked closer to him, slowly unsheathing a knife from his vambraces.

"I-I deny it! Tell me who it is and I'll defend myself!"

"With what? Petty words? No... Though you have been with us, you have not evolved, you needlessly hold yourself back"

At those words the Assassin threw a knife at Sanjay's heart but it was deflected by his armor, causing him to yell in fear.

"Wait! Wait!" he screamed, holding out his hands.

But the Assassin threw another knife at him, this time at his stomach but was met with similar results.

"I have been useful, haven't I? I removed the RDF! I killed an entire army without firing a shot! Surely that means I evolved somehow right?" he begged, tripping over his own feet and crawling to the corner.

The Assassin stopped for a moment as he waits for the kill order.

Ogundimu stared at the fallen man and gave a disappointing sigh.

"To think Talon have to use you... Kill him"

Before Sanjay could say anything else, a knife flew into his mouth, silencing him forever.


	37. Chp 37 - Bodyguard Duty 2

*London: Talon Hideout*

In a dark room illuminated by a blue light that is the map of London, Widowmaker studied it carefully with a glass of wine while muffled voices came from the other room.

"Tell me again how did you lose them today?" Moira asked.

"I told you! I saw them running out from the airport and I couldn't call any of you!" SS28 shot back.

"And you didn't follow?"

"You told me to stay in the coffee house!"

As they continue to bicker, Widowmaker circled the most probable locations where they could be hiding.

"You are sure that you can recognize her using only your goggles?" Sigma asked from the window, gazing at the stars.

"I can recognize her anywhere" she replied.

He snorted when another thought came to him.

"What are our Asian 'friends' doing?" he asked, looking away from the stars temporarily.

Without saying a word, Widowmaker pointed to the label 'King's Row'.

"And you are sure not to look for Tracer there?"

"Too much questions, go play with your balls while I work"

"How dare you! Let it be known that I, Dr. Siebren de Kuiper, do not simply play with 'balls'! I dabble with a galaxy within my Hyperspheres! I- Do you hear that?"

Widowmaker roll her eyes as Sigma quickly looked back to the stars, listening to what only he could hear.

"Enough! Did you at least see which direction they went?" Moira said, almost shouting now.

"They took an Express train to King's Cross, that's all I know. Are we done now? I want to watch football"

She could hear a chair being shoved roughly aside, followed by footsteps to the door, revealing an exhausted Moira.

"You best hope she does not discover the Sticky Toffee Pudding" Widowmaker said, crossing out another area as the scientist sat down next to her.

"What am I going to do with her? She is becoming too rebellious" Moira sighed.

"But one thing is more concerning, if she did try to contact us and couldn't, could it be possible they knew we were coming?"

"Impossible, even we do not know what we were doing until we landed"

Widowmaker nodded, but something still does not feel right, there is no reason why their hardware would fail at the most crucial of times...

"Wait... Someone else did know" Moira said suddenly.

"Who?"

"Sombra... She knew that I am coming on this mission"

She saw Widowmaker's jawline clench up.

"And you thought to tell me that now?"

"You don't... You don't think she is assisting them?"

Widowmaker said nothing. As much as she dislikes Sombra, she would not be that foolish.

But with this information, she could not help but think to herself if Sombra have been telling the truth about switching sides.

However, this would make perfect sense that they were given to order to hunt her down alongside Tracer and her friend.

"So what is the plan for tomorrow?"

"What would you do if you return to your country after years of being away?" Widowmaker quizzed.

"Go to a cafe? Stay at home?" Moira shrugged.

"I thought so too, we need to scout these apartments" she said, circling seemingly random clusters.

"Why there?"

"Because her friend looks like from the middle class and these apartments are the most likely places they will be"

"Interesting... So where do we start?"

Widowmaker thought for a moment before pointing her marker at the first location.

"Hyde's Park"

* * *

*London: Quillion's Apartment*

"I promise I'll do this favor for you"

First she did not say anything, hesitating to make her request.

Seeing this, Quillion thought to reassure her.

"What? Is the request for me to commit suicide or something? Cause I promised never to do that half a century ago" he joked.

"I know that you have feelings for me, but I love Emily and I plan to marry her, so I need you to help me buy our rings" she said quickly, pushing a thick envelop into his hands.

He felt his heart stop at those words and was barely able to hold onto the envelop. He felt his world began to spin as a numbness grew in his cheeks.

"Everything you need to know is in there, and no one else must know"

"W-When do you need this?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

"Before Christmas" she said before walking away.

"So next week... Congratulations..." he forced out, feeling his throat twitch painfully as he said those words.

She stopped after a few steps and turned around.

"I am so sorry, but you are the only person I trust here and I know this is cruel. I would never have asked if it wasn't import-"

"I got it, don't worry about it, it'll be done" Quillion replied numbly.

"I'm so sorry Quil, but I really need this" she apologized again, seemingly with genuine sadness.

He stared straight ahead as she leaves the building.

How long he stood there, he does not know, but it felt like eternity.

When he finally decided to close the door, he open the envelop and saw that it is filled with money and a hand written letter.

_My dearest friend QZ,_

_I am so so sorry that you had to do this for me, if the situation is reversed, I do not think I would have done this either. The time we spent together for the past year has been one of the happiest moments of my life at work and I do genuinely care for you as a friend._

_But I love her and decided to marry her this Christmas. Work does not allow agents marrying for any reason and you are the only one I trust who could help me buy the rings._

_I could not go to the store myself because it is _**_that place_**_,__but __she has always loved that store and I have decided to propose before my leave ends._

_I hope we can remain friends but I understand if this is the last conversation we will ever have._

_Your friend,_

_LO_

He read the letter once.

He read the letter twice.

And tore it to pieces.

He emptied the contents of the envelop on the bed and a map of Kings Row fell out alongside the name of the store and ring sizes.

The pent up pain, frustration, jealousy, and anger resurfaced and poured out like a flood. Tears flowed freely from his eyes before the truth that is now laid bare before him, feeling nothing but loneliness and despair in the cold room.

"Why... Why do I feel this?" he asked himself multiple times.

He never made any attempts to be more than friends, he never asked, and he never gave her any reason to give him her affections, let alone her attention.

He was just a good friend.

Nothing more, nothing less.

But the throbbing pain beats with his heart, a deep pain that is worse than broken bones, an endless suffering that drowns away all other emotions, leaving nothing more than a numbing pain.

Trying to pull himself together, he desperately tried again and again to suppress it with cold, emotionless logic.

He told himself how their bond was forged in conflict not peace, how he never really knew her, how he could not make a living in this new world to support them even if he did. There is no reason why he should feel like this.

But each attempt melted before his despair as his mind took to another painful possibility.

_Work does not allow agents marrying for any reason. _

Was this why she paid so much attention to him? Was this the reason why she spent time with him? The reason why she convinced him to join Overwatch? The reason she protected him? The real reason why he is the bodyguard?

Realization crushed him like a speeding truck. This is the reason then?

She saw him as someone outside of Overwatch. Someone who is naively dependable and she took advantage of it. She needed someone to buy this ring and keep his mouth shut, someone who has no prior loyalties to Morrison or Overwatch.

He began to sob as even logic became his enemy.

If he wasn't so pathetic and allowed himself to be so emotionally attached to someone, he would not be feeling this pain.

If he was not stupid, he would've suspected this from a mile away.

But no, he just had to get attached, just had to blindly trust people like an abandoned puppy.

He sat on the bed, begging for someone to talk to, someone who he knew for sure he could trust. But the only friend he thought he had in this world is nothing more than a manipulator, someone who worked her way to gain his trust for her own needs, knowing full well how he felt.

"Ahmad? Hazir? Oliver? Where are you guys?" he cried through gritted teeth, his face in his hands. He just needs one of them, just one, to talk to.

He does not need answers, he just wants someone to share his pain.

"I could always find mama and papa... They'll listen..." he desperately though... Before he was cruelly reminded that they too are dead.

There is no one. He is to carry this burden alone.

_By Christmas._

"By Christmas? How about never?" he nearly shouted out, but he bit his lip and kept his silence.

But a promise is a promise.

"What if... What if I just break one... Just one promise...?" a thought surfaced.

"But I can't..." he said to himself.

"Break one... Just this one..."

Pain shot through his brain as both thoughts battled for supremacy.

To break a promise, it is to break what made him who he is and his pride. If he breaks this one, then what is keeping him from breaking the others? He will no longer be the reliable man he prides to be.

To keep this is to suffer a seemingly eternal regret and inflict a deep cut into his own soul, a cut which he doubts he could recover. If he keeps this one, he has willingly admitted defeat and solidifying that he is not only a failure, but the world's most moronic man.

Which one is he willing to give up? His pride? Or his soul?

The pain accelerated and he began to feel hot. Very hot.

Unable to stay in the room, he threw on his jacket and sunglasses before running out of the building.

* * *

*London: Emily's Apartment*

Laying down on the sofa, Lena replayed the conversation in her mind as the pained look in his brown eyes lingered in her mind.

"That was a mistake..." she thought to herself.

She suspected that he has feelings for her and will be hurt when she tells him otherwise, but what she did not expect is that he would be hurt that much.

In her experience, all men have only been physically attracted to her and no more and she thought he would be no different, but the way he said "Congratulations" is laced with a deep pain that scared her.

"He has never tried anything before he knew about Emily" she argued.

If she knew his feelings run that deep, she would never have had planned for this, she never wanted to hurt her friends.

But there is no one else that she could count on.

Angela and Winston are against the idea of being attached during wartime, Genji has become an international criminal, McCree is unreliable, Reinhardt and Brigitte are against the idea marriages due to some honor code they hold, and Torbjorn would insist that he makes one instead.

Which leaves no one else but Quillion, the most honest, reliable and down to earth man she knew.

"Why? Why did he have to like me? I thought he would prefer Brigitte or Mei, heck maybe even Pharah if he had the chance to meet her"

If she was single... Maybe? She is open to different types of relationships, even with an Omnic if it catches her attention.

And he is a man trapped outside of his own time, something she has some experience with.

"No, I shouldn't think like that, I should focus on Emily" she told herself.

It is just unfortunate that the ring store that Emily likes is located next to Mondatta's statue.

Near where Mondatta was shot.

The shot that ignited the Uprising.

The shot that caused the death and suffering of untold millions in the world.

A shot she should've taken.

A shot that could've been caught or deflected by her Chronal Accelerator first before it kills her.

* * *

*London*

Quillion marched to the nearby bar, desperate for something to drown the pain, embracing the light rain that is drizzling over London and, combined with the cold winter winds, to cool himself down.

When he reached the bar, he found that many others has taken refuge inside, filling it with laughter and joyous Christmas music, which aggravated him more.

After he bought his drinks, he walked back out to the streets to avoid the happy families or couples who are enjoying the warmth of each other's company.

Though he is shivering, he barely felt the wind that cut through his jacket, but he decided to take shelter anyway in an alley next to the bar.

The contents of the letter, his pain, and his naive promise raged in his mind as he drank the first bottle, emptying its contents almost immediately.

"Oi mate, got a fag?" a man suddenly asked him from behind him, making him jump.

Quillion quickly observed him and saw that it is a homeless man.

"A what?"

"Fag, ya got a fag?" the man's eye narrowed, his voice grew steadily louder.

"Look man, I don't know what a fag is so you better tell me what it is before I..." Quillion replied angrily before stopping himself.

He could not risk exposing Overwatch in any way, especially not from a police investigation over a street fight.

"Get outta here" the man snarled angrily as he walks away, shoving Quillion aside.

"Useless tit..." he muttered.

"Yeah... A useless tit..." Quillion repeated.

As he finished the second bottle, he heard someone shouting in the wind, as if someone is arguing or something.

"Good, not everyone is happy" he thought to himself, relishing the bitterness in himself while popping open the third bottle.

The shouting quickly escalating to screams and the screams started to sound familiar... Too familiar.

"Lena?"

In a flash, he ran towards the apartment block, smashing the bottle in his hands and activated his glasses. The darkness was illuminated with random red figures and the screaming persisted, it is definitely Lena.

"Hang on, I'm almost there" he thought to himself, his makeshift weapon ready.

When he is finally in range, he saw that Lena and Emily are alone in their apartment, Lena is clearly thrashing around while Emily seem to be on top of her.

"No no no! Stop! Stop!" he heard Lena yell.

Is she attacking her?

Running up the stairs to their floor, he kicked the door open, and saw Emily hugging Lena on the sofa, who is now whimpering. Quickly looking around, he saw no signs of a break in or an attack.

"What happened? I swear to God if you hurt her..." he shouted, pointing the jagged glass at Emily.

"She was having the nightmares" Emily replied quickly, unfazed by his entrance.

"What nightmares? Explain!" he demanded.

"Trauma, something must have triggered the memory" she said simply, while her hands continue to stroke Lena's hair, comforting her.

"Why... Why would you do this...?" Lena moaned, desperately clutching the air as if for an unknown person.

"It should've been me... I could have saved him... It's my fault... It should've been me..."

Emily immediately reacted by hugging Lena, whispering "No sweetheart, it's never your fault"

"I couldn't save him... It's all my fault... I wasn't brave enough... Please stop..."

Quillion stood there, not knowing what to do, until Emily looked at him again.

"I think you should go, we will be fine"

He nodded numbly and just as he walked out the broken door, he heard something that broke his heart.

"Don't go Emily... Don't go... I'm scared..." Lena moaned.

"Shh... Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere" she replied.

As he returned to his room, he looked down at the torn letter and remembering the fear carved into Lena's beautiful face, and felt horrific shame as he realized he was an absolute fool to be jealous.

She risked triggering her nightmares because of her love for Emily and in turn, Emily is capable to provide comfort her while this is his second time he froze like a statue.

His friendship with her, his so called "feelings" for her, all seem to pale in comparison to Emily's warm embrace.

With a final glance to their room, he saw that Emily had carried Lena back on their bed, clearly comforting her all the way, something he never thought to do.

He sat down, dizzy, sick, and ashamed.

Though the feeling of despair, pain and anger lingers, a new emotion found its way into him... Gladness... A gladness that Lena found someone who can show her the love she deserves.

Just as he took off the sunglasses, his communicator rang in his pocket, he looked at the name of the caller, which reads:

76

* * *

Hello Readers!

Now my Friday nights are going to be occupied, I do not think I will be able to post on Friday nights anymore, so I will change the posting of chapters from:

Wednesdays and Fridays between 8pm-9pm Western Australia Time

To

Tuesdays and Thursdays between 8pm-9pm Western Australia Time


	38. Chp 38 - Disaster from The Front - End

*Russia: City of Izhevsk*

The armies have forced marched to the city of Izhevsk where they predict the Null Sector will attack as the city is situated between Perm and Moscow. The plan was to rest for a single day before resuming their march towards the Front as soon as possible, meeting their enemies in the field away from populated areas.

In hopes to boost the morale of the Conscript Division, High Command has decided to put them under the command of Major Alexander, the commanding officer of the Osvoboditel' Army.

After a seemingly endless route, the exhausted Conscript Division almost collapse to the ground when they finally reach their encampment as they lack the aerial transports to take them there in such a short amount of time.

"Poor souls, if they barely survived the march, how could they survive an attack?" Captain Maksim asked the Lieutenant as they stood on the roof a multistory carpark overseeing their division.

The Lieutenant said nothing, only to look on disapprovingly.

Maksim understood his disappointment, how would they even contribute in the fight if most of them are already exhausted from a single day's march?

The idea that he thought they could conduct a probing mission is already a distant memory, now they are to be the ones to hold the Front? The very thought made him sick.

"So when will it be our first watch?" he asked.

"We are told to rest in the middle of the city whilst the Osvoboditel' will secure the perimeter"

Maksim's heart leapt at those words.

"Good, at least the division can have a good rest" he said almost too happily, earning a dirty look from the Lieutenant.

"Do not praise those glory boys comrade, they're nothing but trouble" he said.

Saluting, the Lieutenant dismiss himself, leaving the Captain alone with his thoughts.

"That man has issues" he thought to himself when he received a call.

"Captain Maksim, this is Major Alexander, please report to this location now for briefing"

*10 minutes later*

The meeting is to take place in an apartment building at the edge of the city where the Osvoboditel' has set up their Command Centre.

As Maksim walk through the doors, hundreds of people have already cleared the floor and began setting up their equipment.

When he reached the top floor, he saw that a group of 10 or so have already assembled, each bearing the badge of the Osvoboditel' on their left breast, an emblem of a bear with broken chains in its mouth.

Major Alexander stood before them and though this is the first time Maksim have seen him, he could not help but notice that the man brims with an aura of respect and command.

The major is tall, well built, and his demeanor seem to show off experiences that few men have. His eyes are alive but controlled and his stance is nearly perfect. Maksim guessed that the man must be in his 40s as he has hints of grey hair that accompanied the black.

"Now that's an officer" he thought.

After identifying himself, he expected them to look at him with an air of superiority or distain, but to his surprise they treated him as someone who does deserve the rank of a captain.

"Now it is time to discuss the battle plan" the Major said, gesturing at the field before them.

Maksim listened with great interest as the orders were given as if the Major was conducting a play. Assigning each man under his command, he set up ambushes, defensive lines, and predictions how the Null Sector could and would attack.

His voice is confident and chose his words carefully, he seems to know everyone's strengths and covered their weaknesses with one another.

As time went on, Maksim noticed that he has been left out of many of the planning and decided to speak up when the Major began discussing administrative topics.

Clearing his throat, he slowly raised his hand.

"Yes Captain?"

"What are your orders for the Conscript Division for the battle?"

A short silence arose from those words before the Major spoke again.

"Your Division is to reinforce the center of the city and avoid battle at all times" the Major ordered.

The Captain was taken aback, they are not going to fight?

"If I may sir, why would we have to march all the way out here if we are not going to fight?"

Sighing, the Major place both hands on the table.

"With respects Captain, I do not want to send untrained men and women into battle, but High Command demanded that your Division joins us in the march"

Maksim looked around with concern that the other officers will be angered by this supposed favoritism, but each of them are looking at him with an understanding eye.

"Do not worry Captain, we are all here to fight for Russia and its people, not force them to fight" another said.

"Indeed, it would be desperate times indeed when we need your division" another spoke.

A sudden wave of relief washed over the Captain.

"Yes… This should be how should be, let the real soldiers fight and I don't have to do anything" the Captain thought to himself.

Before he could give his thanks, a frantic knock came from the door.

The Major gestured the guards to open the door and a man came running in.

"Our scouts saw the Null Sector is on the move! They will be here within a few hours!"

"The entire force?"

"No, but a Titan is following them!"

"Comrades! It is time! Show them the strength of the Os-"

The Captain looked at the Major with confusion as he stopped mid-sentence.

"Major?"

But the Major did not respond, standing as still as a statue and his mouth open as if he is going to complete the sentence.

In fact, the room become deathly quiet.

What is going on?

That is when, in unison, all of them began drooling blood around him, their blank faces staring straight ahead.

"Comrades?"

Maksim wave a trembling hand in front of one of the officers and found him unresponsive. Slowly he looked for a pulse on his neck but could not find a pulse.

In desperation, he ran to Major Alexander and desperately look for his pulse, begging for him not to be dead. He could not die yet! He is the finest officer he's seen so far!

But his skin felt cold to the touch and no pulse is found.

Gripped with fear, the Captain ran out of the room and was met with a nightmarish sight.

The once busy apartment is now filled with the silent dead.

Everywhere he looked is a body.

Many are standing upright while some remain seated. In his panic, he accidentally knocked some over and they fell ungracefully to the ground with a heavy thump.

The sound made him sick to his stomach but none more sickening than the sight and smell of the dripping blood drooling from every one of their mouths.

Combined with the fact that they died in the middle of their activities so suddenly broke the Captain.

Almost crying, he slammed the elevator button until it opens and was glad to see that it is empty as he dove in.

"This is a dream. This is a bad dream. Wake up…" he begged to himself as he stood at the corner of the elevator, slapping himself in the face in an attempt to wake up.

"No way they're dead, nobody dies like that"

He forced himself out the elevator and ran to the front doors, bursting out of the building when he was suddenly blinded by multiple lights. Shielding his eyes, he kept running and until he was quickly knocked to the ground.

"Arrest him, the rest follow me" a voice said, followed by what sound like a rush of jetpacks rocketing into the air, blasting him with a sudden wave of heat.

"They're all dead! They're all coming!" the captain shouted madly as he fought against his restraints.

Before he could say another word, a piece of cloth is shoved into his mouth and they dragged the screaming Captain into a vehicle.

* * *

*Russia: Burdenko Hospital *

Zarya waited until nightfall when she made her move, grunting as she dragged herself out of her bed and onto the wheelchair that she lassoed from the far end of the room with her sheets.

Once firmly secured, she wheeled to the door and pressed an ear on it to listen for any activities on the other side.

When she heard there is no one outside, she unlocked the door with the ID card that she has taken from a nurse earlier today.

Grinning, she quietly wheeled herself out, checking each corner very carefully with every inch. The first step is done. Freedom.

The next step, sneak past the doctors and nurses.

She has been in the hospital long enough to recognize their patterns so it will not be too hard, the only one she needs to worry about is one of the newer nurses who have too much time on his hands, using most of his time walking around and helping in various departments.

Using the cover of darkness to her advantage, she peeked a corner and saw that her path is clear.

"This is easier than I thought"

Not wanted to jinx herself, she pulled a pen cap from her pocket and threw it into the hall. Landing with a soft clatter, she waited for a few seconds and no one came. Convinced that the hallway is empty, she wheeled out.

Her heart quickened as she crept nearer to her objective. Picking up her pace, she took great care to keep herself as close to the wall as possible, ready to give herself a shove if needed.

Soon she is bathed in its glorious red glow. Stopping before it's towering body, she reached out a hand up towards it, carefully and deliberately pressing one of its buttons after inserting a small sheet of paper.

She licked her lips in anticipation as it responded with a soft but steady hum.

She watched in anticipation as one of its glass doors opens, revealing…

A frothy cup of beer.

Quickly grabbing her beverage, she toasted the vending machine before drinking its contents.

"Now that is better" she sighed.

If she had to taste one more dish that the doctors call "food", she would spat it right back into their faces.

Satisfied that she at least has tasted something else but medicine, she began whistling as she ordered another cup.

"Comrade Zaryanova, we would like you to come with us" a voice said behind her.

"Yeah yeah… To go back into my room yes?" she said nonchalantly.

"No, we are taking you to Volskaya Industries"

Turning her wheelchair, she saw two armed escorts are waiting for her, their faces hidden behind their masks.

"And why do I suddenly deserve her attention?" she asked sarcastically, draining her cup before filling it up again.

"We do not know, but we are to escort you there now"

"Right… But as you can see… I'm no longer of any help" she said, indicating her legless stumps.

The two guards said nothing, moving only to block her path when she tried to return to her room.

"Hey boys, I'm already no use for anyone alright? Just leave me alone"

"Those are not our orders"

"Well, you can tell Ms Volskaya that I don't need her help nor can I help anyone, I am fine on my own"

The two looked at each other before one gave a small nod.

He grab the handles of her chair and begun directing it towards the exit.

"I said no!" Zarya shouted, grabbing the wheels.

The other grabbed the feet of the wheelchair in an attempt to carry her out but she managed to grab one of his hands, crushing a finger with a powerful grip.

To his credit he did not shout out in pain, but he crumpled to the floor as she twist his arm, causing the chair to fall to the floor with a crash.

The man pushing the chair threw his arms around her in a bear hug and begun dragging her out.

"Let go of me!" she shouted.

In one swift motion, she broke free from his arms and used her momentum to drag him to the ground.

But before she could deliver a proper punch, his partner grabbed her arm and pinned her to the ground.

* * *

*Egypt: Cairo*

Maximilien entered his private room, just finished a press conference with the press as he is promoting to launch a new business that could potentially create thousands of jobs alongside with a slight touch of motivational speaking.

"Gullible humans" he said to himself as he adjusted his suit in the mirror.

"And this is why I hate businessmen" a voice growled from the sofa just behind him.

Maximilien froze for a split second before he turned around, seeing Reaper materializing from a cloud of smoke.

"Greetings Reaper, to what do I owe this pleasure?"

"I thought your speech was interesting, so I decided to stay, especially how you say everyone is already a millionaire?" Reaper chuckled.

"You found something funny from that? I was merely telling the truth"

"Somehow I doubt that"

"If you have listened to my presentation, it is the only logical conclusion, if you earn 2,500 USD a month for 34 years…"

Reaper shook his head in and threw up a hand, stopping Maximilien's annoying preaching.

"I am here to invite an old friend and I need your help"

If it were not for the hardware that he invested into his motherboard, Maximilien thought he would've short circuited. Friend?

"You do not seem the type to visit friends Reaper" he replied.

"Yes, and you are going to help me"

It took only a moment for Maximilien to realize who Reaper is referring to.

"You are referring to the Bastet, I hear you have been hunting for this vigilante during your last visit"

"I need the Bastet alive" Reaper grunted, ignoring Maximilien's conclusion.

"For what cause? Why not just kill it? I am sure that you have plans for the bounty"

Even with the mask on, Maximilien could feel Reaper's stare.

"Do not think all men are working for something as worthless as money" he growled.

"I suppose one day we will find out" the Omnic responded confidently.

"Tomorrow you are going to make an announcement to relocate the medical camps"

"I did not say I will help"

"Just get it done"

Maximilien stared back.

Who is he to order him around?

"What is in it for me?" he asked after he sent a message to his guards.

"Nothing"

The door opened and Bolts came in with another Omnic and stood behind Reaper, their eyes trained on him.

Crossing his arms, Reaper leaned back, relaxed.

"You sure you want to do this?"

"I think I'd take my chances"

With a soft click, both the Omnic's eyes turned red and reached for the Black Mercenary. But before they even touched him, two loud bangs threw them back into the wall.

Maximilien watched in shock as Bolts and the other guard are crackling in the corner, the light fading from their eyes, a huge hole in each of their chests while Reaper barely moved.

"Let's try that again" Reaper said, standing up and revealing his Hellfire Shotguns that he formed in his cloak and pointed one lazily at Maximilien.

* * *

*Russia: Air Space*

"There we go... Though I do not think this is an 'upgrade'" Torbjorn said as he passes back Reinhardt's Barrier Field.

After testing the weight, Reinhardt shook his head and pass it back to Torbjorn.

"It is better but maybe cut it down to 80%"

"I still do not understand how weakening the Barrier Field would make it lighter" Angela said.

"Trust me, you will see a difference" Reinhard t laughed.

"Don't you need more protection instead?"

Reinhardt laughed and tap on the armor that is hanging on a frame.

"This will be my protection!"

Angela looked at Torbjorn with concern, who merely shrugged.

"Ya gotta admit he has been quite slow lately" he said quietly.

She said no more, checking her staff to ensure that it is in complete working order.

They will be striking hard and fast now, so it is her responsibility to bring them all back safe and sound.

"It is almost nostalgic is it not?" Reinhardt said to Torbjorn.

"Yes it is... Too bad Lena ain't with us, it'll make a perfect reunion"

Angela smiled as she recalls Lena's first mission with them as Tracer.

As they get closer to their objective, Torbjorn played the message from Morrison again for their mission.

They are to land somewhere near the Front and find a way into the City of Perm, once they are inside, they are to destroy any Titan and Weapons Factory that they could find within an hour. Then they will extract outside the city as quickly as possible.

"Ha! This will be a great addition to my tale!" Reinhardt boomed.

Just as he said this, the lights flashed red and the pilot announced that they are nearing their landing zone.

"I'll enjoy the quiet while it lasts" Angela said, walking to another room to equip her Valkyrie Suit.

"Least number of eliminations buys the post-mission drinks?" Torbjorn challenged.

"Agreed. Let the best man win!"


	39. Chp 39 - Bodyguard Duty 3

*London*

The following day came and Quillion continued to shadow the couple. When they began their journey, it is still dark and damp. And awkward as everyone is strangely quiet.

Gone is the joyous atmosphere, now it is just awkwardness.

So they opted for a cab to King's Cross, forcing Quillion to dig into his savings to call for another cab. But he did not complain, trying to maintain an air of peace as much as possible.

He noticed that Lena has tried to make eye contact when they reached the station, eyes that he avoided purely due to security reasons as he walked the opposite way to a coffee stand.

Watching from afar, he watch as they order their kebabs from a store next to the station.

"At least she is smiling now" he thought.

Once they threw their wrappers into the bin and walked into the station, he waited for half a minute before following, his eyes always looking out for possible dangers.

That's when he saw something that took his breath away.

Platform 9 ¾

His mouth hung open as he saw the crowd of tourists are taking pictures with the trolley. He watched in awe as a little girl cutely hops in excitement when it is her turn, a red and gold scarf around her neck.

He could not believe that this is still a thing!

"Now all Muggles will know of the Wizarding World" he laughed.

His mind was filled with the magical times of his childhood, when he would go home from school just to read the books again and again. He especially liked the 4th book when the characters participated in a tournament.

He smiled as he recalled a character with a fake eye, one of the cooler characters in his opinion, and his most memorable line was…

"Constant vigilance!"

He snapped out of his daydream and realize he lost sight of Lena and Emily. Cursing himself that he was distracted from such a simple attraction, he quickly scanned the busy station.

He sighed in relief that the green glow shone like a candle in the sea of red.

They just walked away from the teller machine with tickers in their hands, which he quickly bought his as well. He was surprised that it would still take about two hours to reach Manchester and a staff explained to him that this line is for those who wants to enjoy the view of the countryside.

Once on the train, Quillion took his seat next to the window in the middle of the carriage. There are not many passengers today and he felt comfortable enough to pull out his sketch book to draw the country side, setting his mind at ease to recall the cryptic message the Commander left last night.

"The tour is cancelled, reschedule for two, if it rains, go to the Farm"

"So… Two enemies are in, keep an eye out for them… Shouldn't be too hard"

The sting of defeat from his fight with the Owl still stung his pride. All the victories that came after pale in comparison to a head on duel. Now knowing there are two potentially dangerous threats gave him a slight rush of excitement.

He knows he has improved vastly since his defeat, will he be able to test his skills against other Talon agents?

He looked up and saw Lean and Emily are chatting in the corner of the car and enjoying the countryside. Oddly enough he does not feel as jealous as the day before, though there is still a slight hint of it there.

They sped past vast fields of green, some accompanied by sheeps, lambs, cows, and haystacks. It was a strangely peaceful sight. If his squad was here, they would be complaining how boring the countryside is.

But to Quillion it is a peace that he needed, a cushion for him to rest on. Even his few trips to America was just filled with things to worry about as McCree just seem to be at the right place at the wrong time.

Like that one time McCree went for a 'bathroom break' and they were suddenly assailed by spider like machines that crawled all over the train to steal the cargo they were protecting, leaving only Quillion to fight them all off alone for hours with a screw driver.

"When I get back I'm going to report hi-"

A sudden pain shot through his head again, causing him to grunt in pain.

"I really need to get that checked out" he thought to himself as rests his head on one hand.

"Wow! That's some great sketches!" a voice said above him.

He looked up and saw that it was Emily, what is she doing here?

"Mind if I take a look?"

Without waiting for an answer, she sat down and took the sketch book out of his hands.

"What did you say to her last night?" she whispered angrily.

"We are not supposed to make contact unless absolutely necessary" he hissed back.

"First, she went to your apartment, then she suddenly had the nightmares, and today she is miffed. What did you two talk about?" she demanded while flipping through the sketches, pretending to look at them.

For a while he sat silent, thinking of an appropriate way to respond.

"She... Wanted an idea for a Christmas Gift for you" he finally lied, badly.

"Lies..." Emily shot back quietly. He could almost feel her body heating up in anger.

He did not reply, he did not even want to entertain the question.

"Fine..." she said, tossing the book back to his lap before walking back to Lena.

Sighing heavily, he got up and walked to the bar in another carriage.

"Cappuccino?"

"Ahh sorry sir, I can't serve that now" the barista said.

"Oh? Why not?" Quillion asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It's the machine see? Ain't as posh as it used to be, now whenever the train's moving, it does bugger all for the milk"

He demonstrated by pulling what Quillion assumes is the milk lever and nothing came out.

"See? I can however fix you up with a pour over"

"… Yes?" was Quillion's hesitant reply, but was relieved when it is just a cup of black coffee.

"Anything else?"

He shook his head and pulled out his wallet when the headlines of the news showing behind the counter caught his attention.

"Any updates on that?" he asked calmly.

"Yeah, apparently a small group of Null Sectors broke out of Perm and are marching towards a city"

"Is the city evacuated?"

"Nah, it's just a small force and two whole Russian Division is waiting for them, seems a bit excessive if you ask me"

"Is it enough though? The Null Sector can be quite dangerous"

The barista merely shrugged.

"Their military leader say it'll be okay so I guess I don't need to worry about it"

After paying for his coffee he went back to his seat.

"Should I have gone to Russia instead? I can look for the leaders there instead of playing soldier for some vigilante group…"

Laughter burst from the corner of the carriage.

"Do they have to draw attention to themselves…?"

He looked over and saw them pointing at something out in the field.

"A life I cannot have" he thought sadly.

His mind took a strange turn of self-reflection. He is a genetically enhanced man whose sole purpose is to fight. What on earth is he doing babysitting other people? He should be out there fulfilling the promise he made to Jampang.

"Should I even stay anymore?" he thought.

Debating with himself the hours passed like seconds as the announcement came that they have reached Manchester.

* * *

*Manchester*

They were greeted with a cheering crowd painted in red and blue. The colors and loud noises re-energize Lena and Emily as they cheered along with the fans, even Quillion allowed himself to be caught up with the chanting.

One, he loves this team. Second, it would look strange for someone to remain in a somber mood amongst the crowd, though he does recoil at the sight of Omnics joining the festivities.

The atmosphere is incredible. He watched many matches played in Old Trafford and he could not believe that he is actually here.

It was when he saw people lining up to enter the stadium he realized he is missing one crucial item.

He does not have a ticket.

Looking around he saw that the stadium's security is quite secure, if he should sneak in, he would need to utilize every skillset he has to successfully sneak in.

That's when he felt a tapping on his shoulder.

He turned around and almost looked at the Omnic in disgust.

"Yes?"

"I notice that you seem to be missing a ticket" the Omnic sniggered.

Quillion looked at him and notice he is wearing a trench coat.

"I know when someone realizes they lost their ticket, so I would like to offer some to you" it said, opening his coat and revealed multiple stacks of tickets in its pockets.

"How do I know these are not fakes?"

"There's a running number that you can go by in the system if you wish, I can guarantee these are legit"

Quillion thought about it for a moment and saw Lena entering the stadium.

"How much?" he asked while glancing towards a screen with the price. He could barely make out that it costs 200 pounds behind the Sold Out sticker.

"Oh… Just about 400 pounds would do" the Omnic said slyly.

"Ahh… You're a profiteer"

"I'd prefer opportunist, so do you want it or not?"

"I'll find my own way in" Quillion said, walking past the Omnic and shoving it out of his way.

"Suit yourself" the Omnic huffed, walking off to try to scam someone else, not knowing that his entire supply is now empty.

Quickly getting on ticket scanned, he realizes that the Omnic is at least truthful about the tickets being legit. After receiving an Entry Stamp on his hand, he walked to different groups of disappointed families and gave the tickets off to those who looked the saddest before entering.

He was hit with the roar of the crowd, the sound rose as everyone began to sing their team's anthem as advertisements and shows zoom pass above their heads, filling the air with music that complemented the fan's enthusiasm.

Even with his glasses he was barely able to see where Lena is in the sea of red glows, but he finally spotted her on the far side of the stadium.

Just when he decided to settle down, a Kiss Cam came up on screen.

"Guess they adopted this quite some time ago" Quillion thought as some couples caught within its lenses immediately began kissing as if it was expected.

The crowd cheered and laughed at each different reaction. Even Quillion joined the fun as some are actually pretty funny.

Some couples are too shy to do anything while some are more than happy to show off their love for everyone to see. One even splash beer on the man's face when he forced a kiss on her.

It was all good-natured fun.

Until the camera showed Lena and Emily.

The crowd laughed when Lena became beet red and covered her face as Emily threw her arms around her, just barely able to kiss her.

Quillion stood up, horrified as time is now against him. Focusing his energy, he activated his Rage.

5 Seconds. Only 5 Seconds.

*First Second*

The crowd slowed to a crawl and the music and sounds became a slow groan.

Calculating the angle of the camera quickly, he scanned the now frozen crowd for the camera.

"Quickly, quickly" he desperately thought.

*Second Second*

He jumped out of his seat and begin running towards where he thinks the camera is, squinting his eyes as he pumps his legs forcefully onwards, careful not to tear his muscles in the process as he reaches the other side.

*Third Second*

Charging up the steps, he finally saw it, it is located in a platform above the seats. A place he could not reach.

*Fourth Second*

Pulling out a coin from his pocket, he aimed before throwing the coin at it with as much strength as he could afford.

*Fifth Second*

As the adrenaline subsides, the coin belted towards the camera and shattered it lenses. He watched as the Kiss Cam is cut off abruptly and the crowd groaned in disappointment.

Wiping the sweat from his brow, he sighed a relief.

"At least that's over…" he thought.

"And who is this? An angry ex?" an announcement rang out.

To Quillion's horror, he felt the entire stadium looking at him, he did not dare to turn around as he could guess what happened.

"Did you see how fast he was?" he heard a boy ask.

"He threw something at the camera!" another shouted.

Without turning around, he ran to the exits, ignoring the calls from the crowd and quickly disappearing before the security could catch him.

Running across the hallway, he stopped in front of the holovid, praying that they did not catch his face.

Sure enough, it is broadcast live for all to see.

It just so happens that he sped past within the views of multiple cameras and it caught the crew's attention, causing all of them to try to focus on him as he ran.

The only clear footage they have is when he stopped and threw the coin, his back facing the camera.

He groaned in frustration as, even though to the world, it is only a man with black hair, he exposed himself to be affiliated with them.

To make matters worse, the footage bore huge words bearing 'Angry Ex?'

* * *

*London: Talon Hideout*

Laying on the bed and slowly cutting up a piece of steak with her claws, SS28 watched in excitement as the game is about to start.

"Stupid advertisements, just get to the game already!" she thought.

She heard the door open from outside her room and she recognize from the high heels that Widowmaker is back.

"Anything?" she heard Doctor ask.

"Non" Widowmaker said, setting her rifle down.

"We need to change our approach to this" Sigma voiced.

They began arguing and SS28 increased the volume of the holovid, not wanted to participate in the argument.

"Doctor is upset though… I should do something for her at least…"

But the temptations to watch the football game is too strong. Deciding to ignore her feelings, she continues watching.

Once the advertisements are over, it suddenly changed to the Kiss Cam.

"Blerg" SS28 said, disgusted that people want to do something like kissing, why would anyone want to show affection to one another?

That is when she was shown her targets.

"Everyone! Get in here!" she screeched.

Moira was the first to enter, followed closely by Widowmaker and Sigma.

"What is it?" Moira scolded.

Pointing to the screen, they all stood in shock.

"Looks like we finally found you…" Widowmaker said.

"I… I cannot believe it" Sigma gasped, staring at the screen.

"Did I do good Doctor?" SS28 asked proudly.

Moira said nothing, shocked at the impossible luck that SS28 has.

Widowmaker whipped around and walked out.

"Where are you going?" Moira shouted after her.

"I am going to Manchester"

Without another word, she was gone.

Then they realize Sigma is still staring at the screen with shock.

"What are you staring at?" Moira asked annoyingly.

"I wanted to ask her out to Luna's Cabaret… How could she do this to me?"

Not knowing what to say they kept quiet as Sigma laments over this "betrayal"

"Her! If I get rid of her I can ask her out! And this "Ex"!" he said.

"What a creep…" SS28 said softly.

Moira could not help but agree as she observes the so called 'Angry Ex' that appeared on the screen.

* * *

*London: Agong's Place*

"Tuan (Boss), I think you better see this" one of the Tigers said.

"What is it?" Agong said as he chewed on a chicken leg.

"I think we found them"

Agong's eyes lit up like a child and looked into the screen eagerly.

"Ahh… Hello Biru Hantu (Blue Ghost)… Looks like you are human after all" he said.

"We also believe this man has some attachments to them" another said as they watch the scene where Quillion threw the coin.

"He is pretty fast, too fast in fact… I think we need to get rid of him first…"

Everyone in the room nodded as Agong continue to munch on the leg.

"Very well, two of you, go to Manchester and test out our prey, let's see what we are up against"

The two he indicated bowed and left.

"This should be fun…" he said as he sat down in front of the holovid.


	40. Chp 40 - Sparks of Hope 1

*Russia: City of Izhevsk*

The doors swung open and Maksim was dragged out of the car into another building. He looked around wildly as he fought against his captors, not recognizing any of them.

They forced him through the doors and into a dark room, illuminated only by a spotlight onto two chairs, one where they quickly cuffed him onto before removing his gag.

"Help!" he yelled.

A sudden wave of electric shock zapped the captain, his whole body tensing up as it courses through him. After what felt like eternity, it stopped, leaving him gasping for air as a man took a seat in front of him.

"My name is Gabriel of the Helix Security International, what is your name?"

"Who are you?" Maksim cried.

"I am asking the questions here. Are you an officer of the Osvoboditel'?"

Maksim shook his head violently as he looked around, seeing nothing but darkness.

"I would need a verbal answer"

"No… No I am not!"

The man looked at his holopad for a deliberate moment before continuing his questions.

"Are you aware that the entire command structure of the Osvoboditel' has been assassinated today?"

"Y… Yes…"

"And you are the only survivor in the entire building?"

Maksim could not bring himself to answer and merely nodded, the haunting faces surfaced onto his mind.

"Can you describe how they died?"

"They just… They just died…" he managed out.

"Just like that? No pain? No struggle?"

"Yes…"

Gabriel stared, studying Maksim's face.

"Thank you"

He stood up and began walking away.

"Wait! Where am I? The Null Sector is coming! You can't leave me here!" Maksim shouted desperately but was ignored as the doors slammed shut.

Straining against the cuffs, he tried to lift the chair off the floor but it is bolted to the ground.

Just as he was about to shout for help again, he heard the doors open. He could not see who in the darkness before an Omnic came into view under the light.

"Greetings, I am the medic of the HSI, I am going to take some of your blood now" it said in a matter of fact tone.

Maksim strained against his cuffs as he leaned away from the Omnic. HSI or not, an Omnic is still an Omnic.

"Relax, this will only take a moment"

"Don't touch me!" Maksim snarled.

"You are in no position to argue, now hold still"

He watched in disgust when he saw a needle protruding out from one of its fingers.

But as much as he struggled, it was futile as it held his arm in place with surprising strength and inserting its needle.

"Curious…"

The Captain said nothing as he looked the other way, not wanted to set his eyes on an Omnic.

"Have you avoided taking any military medication or rations for the past few weeks?" it asked.

He remained silent.

"We are running out of time here Captain, we need an answer now" it implored.

"I do not speak to your kind" he said.

Sighing, the Omnic waved at where the doors must be as he heard it open again.

"What did you find?" Gabriel asked.

"His blood does not show signs of having any particular antibodies or medication or antidotes, so it could not be a gas attack"

"Did you avoid taking any medication or rations for the past few weeks?" Gabriel asked again, his voice rising in anger.

"No..."

"Are you sure!" Gabriel said again, more demanding than asking.

"Yes!"

"Yes that you have?!"

"I didn't take anything, nothing but frozen MREs! I am not even supposed to be here!" Maksim yelled.

"I think he is telling the truth" the Omnic said as it scanned his body with a blue ray of light.

"Very well… Uncuff him"

Keeping a hand on Maksim's shoulder, it uncuffed his hands.

"Forgive us but time is short, we needed to test if you are telling the truth"

"By torture?!"

"Tom here specializes in examining honesty through 'interrogation', but we do not have the luxury of time, a battle is nearing and we need every able-bodied man"

"I am not fighting for you!" the Captain spat.

An explosion sounded in the distance, the spotlight shook above them.

"Very well, if you can outrun the Null Sector, be my guest" Gabriel said sarcastically as he and Tom exit the room.

Maksim stood there, not knowing what to do. He just went through torture, interrogated for stupid questions, and now battle is upon them.

Using the walls as support, he walked out of the building as fast as he is able and he saw a crowd of people fleeing the city.

Hearing the sound of thrusters above him, he looked up and saw multiple HSI members flying North East, where the Null Sector would come from.

"Captain! Captain Maksim!" he heard someone shouting above the chaos.

Looking around he saw his Lieutenant pushing past the people towards him.

"What is going on?" Maksim demanded.

"The city is evacuating, the conscripts are tasked to escort the people back to Moscow"

"The whole division?"

"No, I will stay here along with the volunteers" the Lieutenant said with duty laced in his voice.

"Volunteers?"

That's when he saw some people are fortifying the streets and setting up firing positions in random locations.

"You can't be serious" he said in wonder.

"We will buy time for the people, nothing more"

The people shouted in fear as the ground shook again, this time the explosion sounded closer than before. Maksim could almost hear the HSI firing their iconic rocket launchers.

"Here"

Maksim felt something heavy shoved into his hands. He looked down and saw it was an officer's pistol.

"We need you in that building to direct the artillery, we only have three guns so you need to be careful..."

Overwhelmed with everything that is being thrown at him, Maksim could not speak and crumbled under the pressure, sitting on the ground.

"Captain?" the Lieutenant asked hastily, looking around to make sure no one saw.

"I can't do this Lieutenant…"

"Hey… You are a young man, you should not be thinking about defeat now"

"There is nothing but defeat waiting for all of us here… The RDF is dead… The Osvoboditel' is dead… High Command is incompetent… What else can we do?" Maksim lamented.

Stooping down to his level, the Lieutenant asked in a very serious tone.

"Can you do any better?" he asked.

"What?"

"if you run back to Moscow now, would the situation be any better for you?"

"I… I don't understand…"

"Now the HSI stands with us, we still have some Osvoboditel' weaponry and fortifications to use. Here we have the defender's advantage and willing fighters on our side. Would Moscow be any better?"

"I..."

"Captain. We are the last line of defense, there is no one else behind us" the Lieutenant said gravely as he stares into the man's eyes.

"I can't do it..."

"Captain, I-"

"I am not a Captain!" Maksim shouted desperately.

"I'm not even supposed to be here! I just had to open my mouth and-!"

His head is suddenly whipped to the side as the Lieutenant punched him across the face, silencing his tirade.

"I have a son in Moscow and I have not seen him in years and I do not plan to" the Lieutenant said and pulled a letter from his pocket.

"Give this to him, make sure you deliver this in person before the Null Sector gets there"

"Wh-why me?" Maksim asked, reading the name and address on the letter.

"Because you are going back to Moscow, you are of no help here"

A rocket slammed into a nearby building, its explosives ripped a large hole where it landed, showering them with glass and rubble.

"Go!" the Lieutenant shouted as he ran towards the frontlines.

Maksim stood there for a moment before he ran off with the civilians.

*Half an hour later*

Those left behind stood vigilantly at their posts, fighting back the titanic fear from swallowing them as they watch the skirmish from afar.

The first line of defense will be made up of the majority of the conscripts led by the Lieutenant, who is positioned where they suspect the fighting to be fiercest to prevent enemy from occupying the taller buildings.

They are reinforced by older, more experienced veterans from the first Omnic Crisis. At best their combined strength could only hold for an hour.

The second line will be the center of the city where the Helix Security and the only survivors of the Osvoboditel' Army, a battalion of scouts will protect the artillery and be the last remaining fighting force in the city.

Though they despise the idea of letting the conscripts and volunteers fight, they have no choice as their numbers are too small to make any difference once they are stretched too thinly.

Multiple HSI members came in and out of view rapidly above the forest in front of them, dodging what seems to be miniature missiles and plasma bolts that flew rapidly into the skies.

Ever so often they would see someone lit up in flames or shot out of the sky, falling back down to the ground with a crunching thump.

It was not long before the retreat order was given.

The moment they landed, they collapsed to the ground exhausted, their armor covered in ash, holes and blood, not one was left unscathed.

"How many?" the Lieutenant asked one of them.

"A whole army" the trooper replied as he quickly drank from his container.

"Where?" he implored as he place a map in front of him.

"There, near the lake" he pointed.

"Fire at these coordinates" the Lieutenant ordered as he sent the locations.

"Common guys, we need to refuel and rearm" another said, immediately taking off towards the centre of the city, the rest following suit.

"Take cover!"

Multiple bolts of plasma peppered their location and about a hundred Nullifiers marched out of the trees.

"Artillery! Fire at these new coordinates!" the Lieutenant shouted, keying in the numbers rapidly.

Multiple bodies began dropping to the floor as they recklessly stood out of cover in an attempt to fight back.

"Keep your heads down! Get down you! Sergeant! Set that firing line back up! You! Get behind that wall! Medic! Get over here! I want that gun operational!"

The Lieutenant ran back and forth the line, micromanaging everything and everyone as they began to panic.

"Where's that artillery?!" he demanded.

"The crew is still trying to figure out how to change the coordinates, standby!" a desperate voice shouted back through the coms.

The hailstorm of plasma intensified as the Null Sector stride forward, barely uncontested. The Lieutenant tried to direct a proper counter attack but each attempt failed as each attempt were gunned down easily.

As the barricades came within range, the Nullifiers threw their grenades in perfect sync, showering the defenders with grenades.

'Get down!"

Some drop to the ground immediately, many remained standing, wondering why he gave that order or too scared to move.

The grenades ripped open a bloody hole in the line as hundreds lost their lives in an instant, those who survived rolled around on the ground, their hands clutching their ears in pain as the explosives ruptured their ear drums.

Reinforcements surged forward to try to plug the hole but they were too late as the Null Sector marched in.

Not willing to give up their position so easily, it became a brutal contest for the streets.

Just when it began to look like it is going to be a rout for the defenders, the streets exploded.

The HSI has returned and they rained death upon the tightly clumped Nullifiers, each projectile turned many into scraps. The defenders cheered and added their own firepower into the attack.

The attackers quickly backed away from their attack and attempted to retreat back into the trees, but were mercilessly gunned down by the defenders who retook the wall.

Once the line is secure, the medics attended to as many wounded as they can.

"There we go, just breathe" one said as he injected glowing blue medicine into the Lieutenant through his fingers.

Once the pain subsides, he opened his eyes and scrambled away from Tom when he saw him.

"Easy Lieutenant, just rest and you should be fine within the hour" he said before running off to others.

Breathing heavily, the Lieutenant took a moment to recap what just happened.

In a matter of minutes, they have lost and retook the barricades, costing them valuable resources and manpower that they do not have whilst the Null Sector only dedicated a speck of their forces.

A man landed next to him and place a hand on his shoulder.

"You were all very brave"

He looked up and saw that it is one of the officers of the HSI.

"Where we you? What took you so long?" the Lieutenant asked angrily as he shoves the hand away.

"We came as quickly as we could" he said simply.

Shoving the hand away, he only could look on at the destroyed barricade that is now under hasty repairs.

"Does any of your men know how to operate the artillery?" he asked.

"Unfortunately no, the HSI rarely operates with those"

"They haven't fired a single shot in the whole battle... We may need your squads to be our substitutes"

The officer thought for a moment before nodding.

"I will spare a single squad to support you, the rest are needed to reinforce the center"

Before the Lieutenant could bargain for more, a hail of plasma is shot at their location.

"Looks like they're back, let's go!" the officer shouted.

"Hold the line comrades! Today we hold!"

* * *

*Russia: Volskaya Industries*

Katya and her team worked tirelessly throughout the night, every skilled worker was called to put together her new design.

"Is it almost complete?" she shouted above the noise.

"We are 50% done Ms!"

"50% in one night? We can create 10 Mechs within that timeframe, how can we only complete so little?"

"With respects Ms, your design is too complicated and delicate, this is as fast as we can go"

Dismissing him, she looked on impatiently. This new suit must be done as soon as possible, who knows when the Null Sector will attack?

Her wristband came alive and when she read the message encrypted on it, she ran towards the entrance.

What surprised her was when the doors open, she saw that the men she sent has both lost their helmets and their faces are swollen.

"What happened to both of you? Where is Zarya?"

The of the guard with a heavily bandaged hand opened the door and revealed an uncaring Zarya sitting in the back seat.

Katya took a deep breath and though she rehearsed for this moment, she felt her heart thumped harder with every passing second.

"Zarya, I trust you have been well?"

No reply, Zarya merely took interest in her fingernail.

"I would like to apologize that our last meeting ended poorly and-"

"Just tell me why you want me back..." Zarya said with a bored voice, cutting her off.

"We need you back, the people, the country, they need you back in the fight"

"What do you want me to do? Shoot them while I sit on a chair? I could've done that in the hospital"

Katya cleared her throat, this is not going well.

"We really do need you-"

"I am sure the Front will be able to contain whatever will come out of Perm"

Only silence met those words.

"Good, I manage to shut them up" she thought.

But this silence does not felt like she outsmarted them, rather a strange sense of dread arose. She looked at them for the first time and sure enough she saw fear etched in their faces.

"What happened? What happened to the army guarding the Front?"

"They're dead" Katya said, maintaining a steady voice.

"How many?"

"As we know now, all of them"

Zarya shook her head in annoyance.

"Give me specifics, how many came back?"

"No one survived, the Null Sector could attack at any moment"

She sat back in her seat, the sudden urge to fight, to see the Front for herself rose like giant within her, but when she tried to stand up, her determination was crushed when she saw her stumps.

"I am no help anymore, find yourself another one who could..."

"There is no one else with your experience, we need you"

"And how am I supposed to help?"

"We are creating a new Battle Suit and this could turn the tide of the war"

Zarya snorted.

"What kind of suit is going to be better than a Mech?"

"One which is piloted by one of the greatest heroes of the country"

Zarya looked at Katya and saw the desperation and hope in her eyes. Sighing, Zarya decided to give it a look before going back to the hospital.

"Fine... Show me what you have been working on"

* * *

*Russia: Near City of Perm*

Reinhardt and Torbjorn waited next to the river for Angela's return, skipping rocks on the water.

"We already seen the armies marching out, why should we scout it again?" Reinhardt complained.

"Just to be safe" Torbjorn replied, mimicking Angela's voice.

"How long has she been gone now?"

"Eh... About 5 minutes"

"Wonder what is it like to fly around in that suit?"

"You'll never know, you're too heavy"

"That's because you never tried to build me one!"

"I already said you're too heavy!"

Reinhardt grunted in annoyance.

"You give up too easily" he said, earning an annoyed look from Torbjorn.

"I sometimes wonder if all that armor slows your brain down"

"Ja. And I sometimes wonder if your height is why you're always in such a bad mood"

Before they could argue further, their coms came to life.

"Reinhardt! Torbjorn! Get over here quickly!"

"Looks like we are finally going to fight!" Reinhardt laughed as he picked up his hammer.

"Wait... These ain't the way to the city" Torbjorn said as his eyes narrowed at the coordinates.

"Beats waiting around!"

It was a little distance away from the city and once their eyes adjust to the snow, they saw Angela kneeling on the floor holding onto something.

"What did you find?" Reinhardt asked when they got nearer.

"I need you to protect me while I focus" she replied, her voice urgent.

"From what? I don't see..."

His voice trailed away when he saw who she is holding.

"Is that..." Torbjorn began.

"Give me some protection so I can focus properly... Please...?"

They both nodded and stood guard as Angela close her eyes and began focusing her nanobots to pour into the body.

"Common... Please..." she begged through gritted teeth.

Seeing something sparkle from the ground, Torbjorn picked up a dataslate.

01010100 01110010 01100001 01101001 01110100 01101111 01110010 01110011 00100000 01100100 01100101 01110100 01100101 01100011 01110100 01100101 01100100 00100000 01101001 01101110 00100000 01100011 01101001 01110100 01111001 00001010 00001010

01010011 01100101 01100001 01110010 01100011 01101000 00100000 01100001 01101110 01100100 00100000 01000100 01100101 01110011 01110100 01110010 01101111 01111001 00001010 00001010

"What is that?" Reinhardt ask, looking down at the slate as he readies to activate his barrier at any moment.

"I'm a bit rusty but... It looks like they've got problems in the city"

A painful grunt sounded from behind them and they saw that her features are now contorted with pain as golden light continued to seep into the body.

After ten minutes they decided that it is time to move.

"Mercy, I think it is time to go" Torbjorn said gently.

"Just a few more minutes" she said, never opening her eyes.

"We stayed here long enough"

"One more minute!"

Grunting more now, she poured more of herself into the body, desperate to revive it.

In that instant, they saw her body grew older. Her smooth skin riddled with wrinkles, her golden hair faded to white and her body became skeletal and frail.

"Angela! Stop!" Torbjorn shouted.

In an instant they were blinded by a golden light. Once their eyes adjusted, they saw her lying on the floor exhausted, her features quickly returning back to her youthful looks.

And Fareeha Amari gasped for air next to her.

"Water..."

Immediately Torbjorn gave her a canteen of water and she choked when she drank it.

"Torb...? Rein...?"

"What happened to you?" Reinhardt asked.

"I... I died and..." she looked around and saw Angela, who remained on the ground.

"Angela!" she cried, quickly hugging her.

"I'm glad... You are alright..." she gasped.

"How did you bring me back?"

"A story for another time..." Angela said, sitting up, her strength rapidly recovered from her nanomachines.

"Why didn't you tell us you can bring people back from the dead? We could just attack the city!" Reinhardt said loudly.

"I cannot do it anytime I want to, it's too straining even for me" she said annoyingly.

"So... When can you do it again?"

"Six months give or take"

"Ahh... But... Let's just say I get shot-" Torbjorn began.

Angela gave them a stern look that ended the questions.

"Can you walk?" she asked Fareeha.

"I... I think so..." she replied but fell backwards when she tried to stand.

"We need to find a place to take shelter" Angela said.

"And to fix this suit" Torbjorn added as he inspects her suit.

"What? But the city's right there!"

Before they could say another word, a troop of Nullifiers came upon them.

"Aha! A battle!" Reinhardt shouted joyfully, activating his barrier as Torbjorn pulled a turret disk from his pocket.

"There is no need for that!" the closest one shouted.

"Oh yeah? Came to collect my body didn't you?" Fareeha shot back.

"No! We came as soon as we heard the Vigilante Heroes are here!"

"What's it to you?" Torbjorn said threateningly.

"We are not with the Null Sector! Not anymore! We are trying to stop them from inside the city!"

"How can we trust you?" Angela demanded.

"Please have a look" it said, kneeling down in front of the blue barrier and taking off its helm, revealing its motherboard.

"What is this?" Reinhardt asked.

"You may access my memory banks to see that we require your assistance to stop the Null Sector" it said sincerely.

"Pass me my slate" Fareeha said and, with Angela's assistance, from behind the barrier, she inserted a cable into the Nullifier.

"It... Seems to check out" she reported as binary codes flashed before her eyes.

"You sure? How'd you even read all that?" Torbjorn asked.

"Practice"

"No signs of memory wipes... No signs of damages... It seems they actually defected"

"Why did you defect?" Angela asked.

"When we were made, we were told that we are making the world a better place for our fellow Omnics, but instead... When we saw what our allies has done to the Russians... We knew we could not be part of it"

"You mean the First Omnic Crisis?"

It shook its head and pointed to where the Front used to be.

"Creating a valley of corpses is never our intention. Our leaders have lost their way and must be stopped"

"How do you plan to do that?"

"We know where we could strike to destroy the Omnium and put an end to the Null Sector in one strike. But we need your help"

The Overwatch agents looked at each other before nodding.

"Show us" Reinhardt said, shutting off his barrier.


	41. Chp 41 - Bodyguard Duty 4

*England: Manchester*

The fans let out a mighty cheer as their team scored the final goal of the match, making it a total of 5-4 for the Home team. Quillion waited outside with a new jacket that he bought and a cap to hide his appearance, yawning as the game lasted for an incredible 4 hours.

Using his sunglasses, he waited for the green glow to come into view as the crowd of red walks out, celebrating and partying in the streets.

"Excuse me, sir?"

He looked around and saw a man that made him immediately ball his fists in his jacket.

The man was dressed as if he came right out of a Hitman movie. Black suit, red tie, white shirt, and bald.

"Cosplay? In England?" he thought to himself.

"Yes?" he replied.

"Are you the Angry Ex that was shown on the holovid?"

"Who wants to know?"

"No one, just wondering"

"Then no, I am not the Angry Ex"

The man looked at Quillion thoughtfully for a few seconds… Before throwing a punch.

"What is your problem?" Quillion shouted, dodging the punch.

The man threw another punch, which Quillion blocked.

Just when Quillion is about to counter, he saw that the man had already adjusted his posture to block it.

"He is dangerous" he thought to himself, stopping his counter.

"Hey! Stop it you two!"

They looked and saw a security guard jogging towards them.

"Thank you for your time" the man said before walking away.

"You alright mate?" the guard asked.

"Yeah I'm fine"

"What was that all about?"

"I have no clue, thanks for your help"

"Don't mention it... Careful out here eh? There is always someone who wants to have a scuffle after a game like that"

"Yeah..."

Putting on his sunglasses again, he spotted the green glow that he has been waiting for.

Keeping a certain distance, he bought himself a cup of tea and a sausage roll and waited for them to finish their celebration as he sat in the café, taking off his glasses to avoid steaming up the lenses.

"Still being a stalker eh?" he heard a familiar voice spoke behind him.

He spun around and saw it is the woman with the purple eyes.

Today she is dressed in blue but he could tell she wore it in a poor attempt to blend in.

"Who are you? What do you want?" he demanded.

"It is good to see that you've took my warning to heart, seeing how you handled that man just now"

"Are you following us?"

"Now this is interesting..." she said, ignoring him and picking up his glasses.

"Give those back!"

"Don't be selfish, they don't design frames like these anymore" she said as she played with it in her hands.

As he leaned forward and snatch the glasses back, she also leaned forward and whispered into his ear.

"Name's Sombra, I'll be in touch, watch yourself out there"

Before he could reply, she tapped a finger onto his nose.

"Boop" she said before vanishing in thin air.

Quillion quickly put on the glasses and was confused that though it is still in working order, it seemed to have upgraded itself.

Seemingly new features have been added and the most amazing ones is the combination of an overall map of the city and long-range scanners, allowing him to track Lena in real time with an overhead view.

"When...?" he thought as he took them off and study them carefully.

There was no sign of scratches or places where this 'Sombra' could've possibly added something into it within such a short time.

"Maybe it did update itself without me knowing?" he thought, now glad that he does not need to look around for her anymore.

Adjusting his cap, he decided to relocate and ended up leaning against a pillar.

"Hey!" he heard someone shouting at his direction.

"Really...?" he thought, he has already drawn enough attention to himself.

He looked and saw it was the Omnic with the trenchcoat pushing past the crowds towards him.

And he brought two big friends.

Not wanting to cause a scene, Quillion ran.

"Get him!"

He heard them chasing after him and he picked up the pace, trying to lose them but they are surprisingly quick.

"You can't get away from us! Give me my money!"

Using the glasses, he spotted an empty alleyway nearby and jumped in.

"He went in there!" he heard it shout.

Kicking himself off the ground, he parkour himself up a certain distance into the air and just as the three Omnics ran in, he landed behind them.

"Looking for me?"

They skidded to a halt and faced him.

"Alright, no need for a fuss, just give me my money and I will forget about this. If you don't well..."

It chuckled and snapped its fingers, the two bigger Omnics stepped forward and took up fighting stances.

Quillion smiled, it has been weeks since he last fought.

This could be a good stretch.

* * *

*Manchester Piccadilly*

After ensuring that his hands are clean from grease, he walked up the steps, unknowing that someone is waiting for him.

"Where have you been?" Lena asked, breaking protocol about speaking to one another in public, leaning against the wall next to the stairs facing the tracks, looking straight ahead as she spoke.

The station is somewhat empty as many people sat inside the café booth to hide from the winds.

"Around" he said as he sat on the bench, looking the opposite way as if waiting for the train.

Sighing, she looked around once more to ensure that no one is close by.

"Why did you destroy the camera just now?"

"Ahh that... It is a big game, I don't want it broadcasted throughout the country"

"So... It wasn't a jealous rage?"

"Nope, purely security reasons"

She let out a sigh of relief.

"Thanks... Just too bad you got caught"

"Yeah..."

A painful silence lingered before she spoke again.

"I just got a call from office, we need to go back to work by this week"

"Oh... Then..."

"I need it by tomorrow"

Quillion felt a slight lurch from within him but he kept it in check.

"No problem"

She looked at him in surprise, eyes which he avoids.

"A-Are you sure? Because I can try to use other ways to get it"

"Like how?" he quizzed with a slight smile, encouraging her to share her ideas.

"I can get it delivered..."

"And risk exposing the address into the public domain? Too risky in the long term"

"It can be dropped off somewhere else"

"Really? Dropping something like those somewhere else like a common package? I thought this is important for you?"

"I can always find someone else to get it"

"You've already found him"

"Can you... Can you not...?" she asked.

Why does he have to be so... Aggravatingly and innocently nice...? Can't he see she is trying to fix this?

"I've been a soldier all my life, I've taken lives more times than I could count... I think... Helping you for something like this is a good change in pace..." he said.

"You're not that bad luv" she said with a hint of pity at how he looks at himself.

"And neither are you, so it's fine" he replied.

"I still feel horrible..."

He laughed softly.

"You deserve it more than anyone else. You do." he added when she tried to voice her rejection.

"You gave the world so much of yourself, you fought and bled for it everyday since I met you. Day after day you kept trying to put pieces of it back together to a point that even your body can't keep up. It is only natural that, eventually, you'd want a little something for yourself"

"Many didn't" she said in a small voice.

"Nobody's perfect, not the 'many', not me, not even you. If this is your weakness then it is my duty as your friend to..."

His voice trailed off at a loss for words, but he could feel that she needed an answer.

"Well, I'll help however I can" he finished simply.

"It is still unfair for you, we should-"

"A promise has been made, I ain't giving the money back" he said firmly, looking into her eyes now to show his sincerity. He realized how much he missed looking at her.

"Thanks Qui-"

"Tim" he quickly corrected.

"Thanks... Tim... You're a great friend and... I'm sorry..." she sniffled.

He smiled. Yes, being a 'great friend' is all he could do for her. And he will do his best.

"You should go back to Emily, she must be wondering where you are. Make sure your Chronal Accelerator is secured too"

Lena nodded and was about to enter the café when she saw him wiping off a tear when she looked back.

"What have I done...?" she thought to herself.

She wanted to go back and stop him from carrying out her request, but desperation to get the rings clouded her and she entered the café.

Unbeknownst to both of them, two men stood behind a nearby pillar, listening to every word they are saying.

"He sounds like the 'Sad Ex' now"

"Or more pathetic than sad"

"So what should we do?"

"We should follow until we find where they live"

"Hola amigos"

They looked behind them and immediately pulled out their weapons.

It is the Mexican, the third woman in the picture that they could not find. The one who dares to challenge their beloved Agong. The one who dared to shoot first.

Before they could attack, she vanished.

"Wha-"

In one smooth motion, she knock both of them out from behind them.

"Buenas noches" she said before walking away, leaving them for the authorities to find.

From afar, someone watched patiently as the entire event unfolds.

"How very interesting" she said to herself before pulling out a communicator.

"Widowmaker to Talon base, I have found all targets, standby"

* * *

*London*

Quillion watched as Lena and Emily got out of the train while he took another to Westminster Station.

Though it is crowded, he realized how lonely the trip is going to be.

"Well... Soon I'll be gone..." he thought.

He has thought about leaving Overwatch since the trip to Manchester and make a move to Russia to take the fight to the enemy.

"I've achieved nothing for months..."

Since he joined, he was put into the hospital multiple times, tolerated through Basics, then went to America for horrible missions that made no sense, and now he is a bodyguard who is buying the rings for the woman he will never marry.

"I wasted enough time... It is time to leave... But not before I report Mc-"

A sudden pain shot through his head again, but was gone as suddenly as it came.

"Tumor?" he thought before he shook that idea off. He has been somewhat perfected from all diseases so that is impossible.

"I still think this is still a smarmy one" an elderly man said a little too loudly next to him, holding up a holopad to his wife.

Quillion saw that the headlines read "Savior of Egypt" and a clip of a well-dressed Omnic giving what seems to be a speech to a crowd of cheering people.

"So they're taking over as saviors now" Quillion thought bitterly as they arrived at their destination.

* * *

*London: King's Row*

"What happened to Big Ben?!" were his first words when he saw it, he had seen multiple pictures of it and now it has totally transformed.

It is evening now and the streets lit up with Christmas lights and a light layer of snow has settled over the area.

When he planned his escape routes, he did not think about using the train lines, therefore he never saw this part of King's Row during his planning with Athena.

Though the clock tower still remains, houses has completely taken over where the Houses of Parliament used to be, littering the streets with random shops and buildings.

Even the streets are shaped in a strange curve and there are platforms that does not make any sense. He would walk a certain distance and saw a blank wall that leads to some bridge with no visible way to get up.

Walking pass Moriarty's Fine Books Bookshop and through an arc, he finally saw a familiar sight.

The statue of Mondatta holding a child's hand towers over everyone and tourists are taking pictures of it.

"Alright... Ring store... Ring store..."

It took him a moment before he found it hidden behind a hotel.

"Welcome! How may I be of assistance?" an old lady greeted, looking up from an eyepiece that she used to mold a diamond to a gold band.

Quillion was impressed with the slight whiteness of the store, giving it a clean feeling compared to the soft and drab environment outside.

"Evening, I am to buy a set of rings?" he said, passing the details over the counter.

"Ahh excellent, is your... Missus with you?" she asked after reading the details on the paper.

"How'd you know I'm not gay?" Quillion asked jokingly, causing the storekeeper to slightly recoil.

"I have forgotten that prosthetics can now change their ring fingers at will... I apologize, old habits you see..."

Now it was Quillion who recoiled. Prosthetics can now change at will for ring sizes? That's a thing?

"No no, sorry, I didn't mean that, I... Never mind, I'm buying for a friend"

"Ahh, your friend must trust you to get this ring, well, you'll need to pay up first, store policy" the storekeeper said.

Her eyes narrowed when Quillion pulled out the wad of cash.

"Usually we adopt a cashless payment, does your friend have an account I can run through?"

"Ahh... Well, my friend just closed the account you see so she passed me all she had for this" he lied quickly.

She looked at it for a moment before saying.

"Your friend really trusts you, doesn't she?"

Quillion let out a heavy sigh before he could stop himself.

"Ahh... I see..." she said knowingly.

"What?"

"I've worked here for a long time and I've seen all sorts of customers come and go, you are no different"

For some reason, Quillion felt a slight shift of the burden from his shoulders. He isn't the only one?

"Which category am I under?"

She looked at him with an experienced eye and replied with a gentle voice as the accepted the money.

"You're the sad one"

He laughed at that. Sad is an understatement.

"What usually happen to the sad ones?" he asked.

"Oh it all depends sweetie... The weak remain sad for a long time, the strong carry on quicker, the stupid ones remain sad forever"

"Let's hope I am not the stupid one then..." he thought.

The loud noise came from the counter when the lady places the cash into the counting machine.

"It has been decades since I last used this" she said once the money is counted.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" she suddenly asks.

"What do you mean?"

"The moment I accept this payment, you are bringing more pain to yourself"

"I don't understand what you mean by that"

"I think you do" she said.

He blinked.

"I... I... I don't know..." he admitted.

"Then why don't you get someone else to do it? Why must it be you?"

"I... Can't... I made a promise"

"When did you make a promise like this?"

"Just last night" he said, realizing how stupid that sounded the moment it left his mouth.

"Last night? And you are here today?" she exclaimed.

Though he wish not to continue this conversation, she continued.

"Dearie... You're either one of the dumbest men I've ever met or you never really loved her in the first place"

He look down at his feet now, feeling like a child who is being scolded.

"I mean, if you really did love her, why let her go? Are you hoping she will love you back by acting like this? Or are you so love struck that you do not see that she is just using you? Sounds like she is a horrible person who does not deserve your friendship"

At those words he slap his hand on the table loudly, ending her rant.

"You're right... I am stupid... But she made her choice and I just want her to be happy" he said firmly.

"That's not how love works dearie... You have to fight until the bitter end, you can't just give up. That is why I ask you again, do you want me to accept this payment and hand you over the last chance you'll ever have with her?"

Unable to voice the word, he nodded.

The old woman thought for a moment before asking.

"You seem like a trustworthy bloke, why don't you make me a promise?"

"What promise?"

"Promise me that after you get these rings, you'll find someone who will make you happy"

Quillion snorted at the request.

"I don't think that is possible..."

"There is always someone out there for everyone"

He sighed heavily again, though her words are hopeful, it seems impossible.

"No... I don't think I can make that promise"

"Well I will not accept this payment unless you make that promise"

He looked at her with shock and saw that she now wore a sly smile.

There was no malice nor selfish desire that he could detect from her, only an old soul who happens to care for him.

"Do you always talk to your customers like this?"

"Only the stupid ones" she replied with a warm smile.

* * *

*London: Talon Hideout*

As soon as Widowmaker returned, they called for a meeting with Agong, who took up an entire sofa for himself.

"In total all of our targets are staying in London" Moira reported.

"And apparently this man could be a bodyguard" Widowmaker added, throwing a picture of Lena and Quillion talking in the station onto the table.

"You think this guy is the Angry Ex? He looked taller in the video" SS28 added.

"Agong, are you sure your men heard correctly?" Moira asked.

But he did not reply, he just sat there and loudly munching on a shepherd's pie while staring at Widowmaker.

"Doctor asked you a question fattie" SS28 said loudly, purposefully elongating her claws.

He ignored the threat, his entire attention is fixated on the Talon Assassin.

"If you keep on staring, I will gauge your eyes out" she said.

"Oh baby... As long as I am touched by you, I can die a happy man" he said, licking his lips.

"Just answer the question, is he the Angry Ex?" Sigma asked impatiently.

"I will not answer unless she asks in French"

"Excuse me?" Widowmaker asked in disgust.

"I said I will not answer unless you asked me that question in French" he repeated, pointing a meaty finger at her.

"You do realize your life now hangs by a thread?" Moira asked.

"Is that a declaration of war I hear?"

Not wanting to drag this out further, Widowmaker put on her most seductive tone while holding back a retch.

"Monsieur?"

"Yes, my dear?" he ask as he listen with great anticipation.

"Tu es un cochon dégoûtant et j'espère que tu pourriras (You are a disgusting pig and I hope you rot )"

"Oh... Yes..." he gasped out, leaning back his head as if he experienced some sort of mental orgasm.

"My little Tigers are reliable, he is involved with them like some sort of guard dog"

"Very well, so we have to deal with three fighters in order to complete our mission" Moira said.

"I still don't understand why don't we just kill them all" SS28 complained.

"You can always ask the boss" Moira snapped back.

"No no! Its... Its alright"

"What we know so far is that this man has just bought rings earlier today, matching that with the transcripts from these 'Tigers', we can conclude that Tracer is getting married to this "Reddie" within the week" Widowmaker concluded.

"Unacceptable! I must see her before the ceremony!" Sigma demanded.

"Why didn't you follow him home when you followed him to the store?" SS28 asked.

"I... Was careless... He suddenly disappeared from my sights when I blinked" Widowmaker admitted.

"Then what's the plan?"

"We need to find out where they could be holding the ceremony by tonight" said the Assassin.

"Will they risk having an open ceremony? It would be smarter to have a private one"

"It will be a private one and most likely will be in a small but reputable restaurant"

"How are you so sure?" SS28 asked.

"Hey! Just let her talk" Agong shot back, apparently annoyed that someone talked back to her.

"And if we could not find when or where they will be holding the ceremony?" Moira asked.

"Then our... Friend... Will have to draw them out tomorrow"

Slapping a meaty hand on his knee, Agong pushed himself up, towering over them with his size.

"This is where I will be" he said, pointing to London Bridge.

"And... Why is that?"

"Because I've always wanted to visit London Bridge before it falls down"

"Enough with your nonsense Agong!" Moira shouted, raising her right hand.

At her outburst, SS28 stood up and brandished her claws, ready to attack, causing Agong to respond by cracking his knuckles. Seeing this Sigma began manipulating the gravity in the room.

"Stop! We need everyone to take them down!" Widowmaker said loudly.

"No we don't!" SS28 replied.

"Yes we do! We need everyone to work together!"

"Tell me why!" SS28 nearly shrieked, clearly frustrated for being ignorant of the plan.

"Though the girl is foolish she is one of Overwatch's top fighters, and we are fighting in her territory, Sombra is still running around freely and we do not know where she is. And this man, we do not know what he is capable of but he is faster than all of us and he has some combat experience, so everyone sit down!"

Agong was the first to respond by sitting back down calmly.

"Oh your words are like honey to my ears my dear..." he said.

"As long as you do your job and separate them"

"If these so called "heroes" are truly heroes, I can guarantee at least one of them will come"

* * *

*London: Hyde's Park*

Almost crashing in the wall after slipping on the snow, Quillion stopped just a feet away from the wall.

"Whew, that was close..." he thought.

Running full sprint with his Battle Rage activated has always been a risk.

After a coded buzz and he waited in the alley where Lena blinked down.

"I'm sorry, I went to buy the item but there is a problem" he said quickly but quietly.

"What problem?" she hissed, panic filling her voice.

"All they gave me are shiny rocks on a band" he joked and pulled out a box from his pockets.

She stared for a moment and, with trembling hands, took it from his and opened it.

Two beautifully crafted diamond rings sat side by side on a cushion.

It is more beautiful than she had ever imagined.

"Thank you so much"

She moved to give him a hug but he held her off by placing a hand on her shoulder.

"You should go back up there and pop the question now" he said.

She shook her head and blinked back to her apartment and he heard a door closing before she blinked back down.

"I... Need another favor from you, just the final one"

"Oh?"

"I know this is a lot... If you can... Can you help me take Emily out to shopping tomorrow while I prepare the venue for my proposal?"

"Lena... I know you have planned this for years... But doing this in public is too risky"

"Don't worry! It'll be over before you know it, I've already made reservations"

Quillion looked at her with disbelieving eyes.

"You already made reservations without consulting me?"

"It is a small café a few blocks away, so its fine"

"And you want me to spend the whole day with her...?"

"She's working tomorrow from morning till 5pm at The Royal London Hospital, you just need to distract her for an hour"

"I don't know..."

"I only booked the place for a couple of hours and believe me when I say this... For this part I never needed your help, but since the schedule was pushed like this..."

He looked down at her hopeful face and sighed, one more errand wouldn't hurt...

"Sure, why not"

With trembling lips she blinked forward and hugged him.

"You really are a good friend Quil..." she said.

At that moment he tried his best to hold back, to not hug back, to not embrace the warmth of her appreciation for him.

He was supposed to deliver the rings and that will be the end of his attachments for her, to end it right there so he could move on with his life.

This is the crossroads where he will make the final decision to move on or continue to be trapped in this painful fantasy of love.

Logic battle desire, control fought instinct.

All he needs to do is not hug back, to keep his arms steady and stiff by his side. All he needs to do is hold the line against his heart, then he will be victorious.

"Are things alright between us Quil?" she asked, looking up at him.

He looked down at her and his resolve broke immediately.

The snowy ground and dim lights illuminated her face in ways he never seen before.

This was the first time he saw her beautiful brown eyes so closely without her visor, her hair fell to the side as she looks up, perfect as always, her nose just inches from his face, complementing her features so well she could've been sculptured...

And her lips! He could practically feel her breath... If he just leans in...

"NO!" a voice boomed in his mind.

"Yeah... We're good" he said, wrapping his arms around her, feeling her sigh in relief, unknowing of the battles raging within him, how he hated himself for giving in once more.

It was at this moment, Emily looked down from the window and saw them in the alleyway.


	42. Chp 42 - Sparks of Hope 2

*Russia: Volskaya Industries*

Katya and Zarya waited on a single file platform as the engineers worked quickly to finish their projects in the Construction Floor.

Like the well-oiled machine that it is, the factory poured its resources into this single unit with a precision that even Zarya can appreciate.

As the hours passed, the suit began taking shape. The next step in Russian military evolution.

But it did not matter.

"Find yourself another pilot" she told Katya who remained by her side the entire time.

"There are no other pilots" she said matter of factly.

"Then train one"

"There is no time for that"

"You seemed to have hired enough goons for that" Zarya said, pointing to her bodyguards standing at each ends of the platform.

"I needed someone who is exceptional"

"And they are not?"

"They are good, but you are better. Far better"

She paused for a moment before adding.

"You already took on two of them, do you truly think they would've stood up to the black assassin?"

"If you didn't notice, I was beaten as well"

"In an ambush, yet not only you saved my life, you survived after throwing yourselves out the window, how many can say that?"

Groaning, Zarya watched as the engineers began installing a pair of legs to the chassis.

"I already said I do not want anything installed on me"

"I remember" Katya said, her eyes never leaving the floor.

"Then why are you wasting my time here?"

"Because nothing will be installed on you... And the country needs you"

Rolling her eyes, she watched on as she massaged her thighs, trying to ignore the itching below them.

"How much longer is this going to take? It's just one suit right?"

"Just an hour more before we conduct the safety trials"

Zarya sat back and closed her eyes, attempting to take a nap but the occasional banging kept her awake.

"Is there anywhere quieter?"

"Please just be patient for another hour"

The hour crawled by and Zarya sighed in relief when Katya received the call.

"Perfect, the suit is ready, let's go"

Reaching the test floor, Zarya was shocked to see the results.

"I thought you said it was a suit?"

"No, the suit controls that"

"Bit excessive isn't it?"

"Maybe a bit... All this, for you" Katya said proudly, as if presenting her best work for all to see. Which it probably is.

Before them is a true machine of war. Heavily armed and armored, it demanded respect to all who laid eyes on it.

Standing on two legs and little over 8 feet tall, the Mech is armored with layers upon layers steel and iron and equipped with what seems to be two Particle Cannons merged together in one hand and flamethrower in the other.

It's smooth surface actually does a disservice as it looked incomplete without battle scars. Even Zarya had to agree that if she met this in battle, she would not want it as an enemy.

"This is the Executioner, the first of its kind"

"I must admit... It looks tough"

"Oh it is. It is equipped with twin internal Particle Barriers to protect you from most attacks, both plasma and metal, only a Titan can take it down with certainty"

"And if the barriers fail?"

"3 inches of the strongest armor we possess, twice as thick as our regular Mechs, near invulnerable to standard Nullifier equipment and hydraulic legs that can stop a charging Behemoth. Again. Nothing short of a Titan or a pack of Behemoths will be able to stop you"

"And the weapons?"

"You would be familiar with these so I will not explain further, Twin Particle Cannons and -" Katya said

"A flamethrower... Not going to be effective I'm afraid" Zarya said sarcastically but was surprised to see Katya smiling.

"This is not a flamethrower, it is a Plasma Repeater"

"A what?"

With a wave of her hand, a tank came in and parked in front of them, the driver activating its Particle Barrier before climbing out.

"Best if we step away"

Once they are in the clear behind the safety glass, she gave them the thumbs up.

The Plasma Repeater came alive and a barrage of plasma bolts tore the tank apart within a blink of an eye, firing so fast that it looked like it shot a steady blue light.

"Thought you would require a mid to long range weapon" Katya said proudly when she saw Zarya's mouth hanging open.

"What was that?"

"100 rounds of super heated plasma per second"

"Like the Fusion Drivers?"

"I can guarantee this far more powerful than what any OR15 carried before"

"How is this even powered? And you say the suit controls that? Where is the suit?" Zarya exclaimed.

"Open it" Katya said.

Gas hissing and mechanics whirring, the Mech opened itself, revealing the suit within.

When Zarya thought about the "suit", she was thinking about a slim fitting, thin, with wires connecting to the Mech.

But she was wrong, very wrong.

Contained within the Executioner is another dangerous looking Power Armor that seemed to be designed with the concept that the outer Mech is simply additional protection.

"What is that orb?" Zarya pointed to the glowing chest piece.

"That is a nuclear reactor that charges the suit, which in turn charges the Executioner"

"You want me to wear a nuclear reactor on my chest? Sure why not, next you're going to tell me I can fly with mini thrusters on my legs or shoot lasers from my chest?" Zarya said sarcastically.

"No the suit does not fly nor shoots beams, however, it is built for combat as well"

"Almost like a chainmail under plate armor"

"Exactly, same quality on the Executioner but obviously a little bit 'smaller'"

"Now you are just overcompensating"

Katya laughed.

"Indeed, but I know you'd rather die than run away from battle, so if by any reason the Executioner is destroyed, you can continue the fight"

At those words Zarya felt an urge to pilot it.

This could be the chance she needed to bring the fight back to the enemy. However, when she couldn't stand to inspect further, she felt her spirit dampened.

"Well, thank you for the opportunity, but I should be getting back to the hospital now"

When she tried to wheel out, a guard blocked her.

"At least try it out" Katya said calmly.

"If it is so powerful, you can literally have anyone else pilot it and it will work just as well"

"Others will make it work. You can make it exceptional"

"I already said that I am not interested"

At those words Katya had enough.

"You do not have a choice here Zarya, we need you now more than ever"

"You all need to learn how to do things without me, an army is not made up of a single soldier you know"

She tried to roll around the guard, but he kept blocking her.

"You better get out of my way before you get hurt boy" she snarled.

"Don't you understand that we have no more armies? For all we know anything that even resembles an army is now surrounded in Izhevsk"

"Won't the Svyatagors be enough to extract them?"

"They are tasked to defend Moscow, not to go off on a rescue mission by themselves"

"Sounds like it is your problem, not mine"

Lashing out an arm, she punched the guard in the stomach, causing him to double over before knocking him to the ground.

Immediately another stood before her, blocking her path.

"Can you please tell your men to get out of my way before I send them all to the hospital?"

Just then someone burst into the room, a man and a child covered in dust ran at them.

"Help! We need help!" he cried.

The guard raised their weapons to shoot but Katya commanded them to grab him instead.

When the man saw Zarya he began to cry.

"Thank heavens! You are here too!'

"Who are you?"

"Please! I need your help!"

"You may be looking at the wrong place then" Katya said before motioning them to take him away.

"No! Wait! My wife is in Izhevsk! Please save her!"

Everyone stared and looked at each other.

"How did you lose her?" Katya inquired.

"We were running and the city exploded! I thought she was behind us but…" he could not continue and broke down.

"What is the situation there?"

"I… I don't know… Everything happened so fast… Everything just kept blowing up…"

"Were there any soldiers left?"

"No… I didn't see any…"

"What happen to your legs?" the child asked innocently.

Katya snapped a look at Zarya's and saw that she is staring back at the child with a blank face.

"Shh… Don't ask…" Ivan scolded.

"Just a little accident" Zarya replied.

"Oh… Mommy's a doctor, she can make you feel better"

"She can huh? Well, guess I need to go find her then"

Everyone stared at Zarya as she sat up in her seat.

"Hook me up to the Executioner, I need to warm up before I go"

* * *

*Venice: Talon Base*

It is rare for the base to be quiet or have little activity, but the Christmas week is definitely one of those times, as the only group of Troopers on site patrolled the empty hallways, their boots echoing around them.

"I still don't understand how so many get their leave approved every year" one of them said.

"I've heard the boss is in a good mood"

"Can't be, he is never in a good mood"

"Shut up, someone could hear us"

"Wait, does anyone else feel that?"

They stopped walking and waited.

"Been drinking on the job now have we?"

That's when the ground shook again, stronger than before, and accompanied with the sound of a small explosion from the Bio Labs.

They looked at each other and ran towards the source of the noise, readying their guns in the process.

When they reach the lab, they saw that the door has been forced open and one of the scientists is on the floor, coughing out blood. They looked into the room and saw that it is vacant.

"What happened?" the Sergeant asked while the others form a tight perimeter.

"The... Children... They are taking over..." she forced out.

She saw her nametag and saw that her name is Anna, one of Dr O'Deorain's.

"How many? How do we stop them?"

"You... Can't..."

After saying those words, she died.

"What do we do?"

"Let's see what we are up against, check the door" she instructed as she began cutting open Anna's shirt.

Massive bruises and a misshapen rib cage showed her that they are facing something with enormous strength.

"We can't tell but we think it was rammed open" the Trooper reported.

"She said "children"... Which means there are more of the Doctor's experiments running around"

"What do we do?" one asked fearfully.

"The five of us can't do anything, we need to escort the boss out of here"

In an instant the power in the base is cut off, throwing them all into darkness, even the backup generators did not kick in.

Switching on their night vision, they began making their way to Ogundimu's office, which is on the other side of the base.

"Why don't we just get out of here?" one whispered.

"Anna said they are taking over, which means all exits are blocked" the Sergeant responded calmly.

Suddenly a gust of wind blew past them, making them all drop to one knee at the strange phenomenon.

"We should bunker down somewhere and wait for help"

"We have nothing that can stop something that strong and I'd rather have Doomfist by my side" she said.

With that they spoke no more as they make their way quickly through the dark halls, their boots louder than before in the silence, each could not shake the feeling that something is watching them.

"What's that?" one of them pointed when they enter the gym, one of the few direct routes to Ogundimu's office.

Something strange is swaying in the corner of the room and a familiar but sickening dripping sound can be heard from it.

Their weapons ready they approached what seemed to be an object hanging from the ceiling and they froze when they realize what it is.

It is a dead Trooper, his body cruelly mangled and he has a huge slash from his shoulder to his stomach as if by a large sword.

"There are other Troopers here? I thought they all went home?"

Next to the body they saw a message written in blood on the wall.

"Count yourselves"

"Count yourselves? What does that mean?" the Sergeant asked, but received no response.

She turned around and saw all three of her Troopers are still staring at the body.

Three?

"We are missing someone"

The Troopers looked around and the unbelievable truth began settling in.

"No... There is no way"

Looking closer at the hanging Trooper's number, their blood froze. He is one of them.

"No, there's just no way!"

"Quiet!"

"He was with us! He was right there... Now he's...?"

A Trooper puked on the side out of fear, closely followed by another.

"Get yourselves together!" the Sergeant scolded, herself on the verge of panic as well.

Once they collect themselves, they made their next plan of action.

Adopting a circular formation, all four of them watched every corner as they move, carefully making their way out of the gym and into another corridor.

"Alright, just down this hall and turn right we should see the office"

She felt them nodding and that's when another gust of wind blew past them.

"We are too exposed in this corridor, move"

As they made their way across the hall, she realizes that their footsteps are making less noise than usual.

She looked behind her broke into a cold sweat.

"Sergeant? Why have we stopped?"

She merely pointed and they all gasped when they saw a pair of legs behind them.

Without the rest of the Trooper.

Losing their composure, they bolted for the office, all thoughts about tactics or stealth abandoned as they sprinted for the door that is thankfully not broken.

"Boss! Boss! Open the door!" she yelled as she pounded her fist on the thick wooden door.

"He's not in! Something's coming!"

"Open fire!"

Ogundimu sat behind the desk, his hands clasped together as he listens to the commotion outside of his office.

"How very interesting..." he thought when the gunfire stopped abruptly and blood began seeping through under the door.

When he heard heavy footsteps gather outside of his door, he stood up and walked to the edge of his desk.

With a mighty push, the door flew inwards, crashing into the desk he was just sitting on.

With his hands now behind his back, Ogundimu watched with great interest as a handful of people walk into the room.

Moira's so called "super soldiers".

First a large man came in, his muscles unnaturally large and deformed, obviously inspired by Mauga. Second an extremely thin woman came in, holding what looked like a ball of electricity in her hand, and another boy who seemingly appeared in the room and sat next to the Doomfist Gauntlet.

"I see that you planned this out carefully" he observed.

"You! You bad!" the large man said, a heavy slur with each word.

"And stupid! You stupid to let everyone go!" the woman said proudly.

"Wegotyoucornered!" the boy shouted.

"Comical... If I may ask, what is the plan here?" Ogundimu asked.

"We escape! We kill you!" the man shouted.

"Andwewillrunthiscompany!"

"And how many are of your friends are running around?"

"We got many! Hundreds! You will pay for hurting us!" the woman declared.

Rolling his eyes, Ogundimu took up a fighting stance.

"Let's see how powerful are the good Doctor's pets" he thought.

With a roar the man threw a punch that can knock down steel doors, the boy ran behind him with incredible speed and brandishing a bloody knife, and the woman threw the electricity towards him.

* * *

*Egypt: Cairo*

After Maximilian gave a speech to relocate all Medical Camps to another location, promising better facilities and care, the people cheered and threw a small festival while McCree and Genji watched from a nearby mountain under the shade of a tree.

"Looks like Maximilien is doing fine for himself, almost feels bad to crash the party" McCree said as he lights his cigar.

"Trust me, this is the time to strike" Genji replied.

"Oh right, you were the son of some crime lord right? Was it always this festive?"

"No, but he is exposed now, take the shot"

"Alright, hold your horses" McCree said, pulling out a rifle.

"Your Deadeye better not miss"

McCree said nothing, his entire focus in the shot.

"Well... Isn't this a surprise" a voice said behind them.

They turned around and saw a man materializing in a cloud of black smoke.

"I thought a sniper would be here but I was expecting someone else" Reaper said.

The two immediately attack, shuriken and bullets flew at his direction but Reaper easily dodged or shot them out of the air.

"Still too slow" he said as he walked towards them.

Another cheer erupted from the city and they saw Maximilien is being escorted to his car.

"Go! I'll deal with Reyes!" McCree shouted.

Nodding, Genji jumped down and ran towards the city.

Reaper made a move to follow but McCree pointed his revolver at him, demanding his attention back to the cowboy.

"You sure you want to do this McCree? I taught you everything you know"

"Not everythin'"

First Reaper chuckled, then it became a laugh.

"You always did have a high opinion of yourself"

"Why don't you put that to the test? Man to man"

"As you wish"

Allowing McCree to stand up, they ready their weapons.

Standing a short distance from each other, they stared each other down, their weapons never leaving their targets, their cloaks shifting ever so slightly in the wind.

As the seconds tick pass, McCree secretly hope he would be able to buy enough time for Genji.

"It's an hour till noon, are we going to stand here for an hour?" Reaper taunted.

"Well... It's high noon somewhere in the world"

Suddenly a loud bang and a flash of light exploded between them. Reaper reacted quickly by fading into his Wraith as six shots flew through him.

McCree rolled away immediately as Hellfire shots narrowly missed him, riddling his cloak with holes, reloading his revolver in the process.

Reaper attacked mercilessly and McCree was forced to take refuge behind the tree, which was promptly shot to pieces.

Throwing his Hellfire Shotguns away, McCree took the chance to Fan the Hammer at him, forcing Reaper to Wraith again quickly.

"Still throwing your guns away I see? You weren't given those guns to toss 'em around like trash!"

Shotgun pellets flew past him again and he quickly ducked, throwing another flashbang over his head at Reaper.

McCree stood up from cover but was shocked to see he is gone.

"I don't take lessons from you" Reaper growled next to him, wrapping a clawed hand over the revolver, crushing it.

Grunting, McCree threw a punch with his mechanical arm, but before he could complete it, Reaper took aim and pulled the trigger.

McCree yelled in pain as his arm exploded into a shower of scrap.

Reaper kicked him to the floor and threw the revolver away. Victorious, he stomped his feet on McCree's chest, who could do nothing but clutch his arm.

"Any last words?" Reaper asked as he aimed at McCree's face.

McCree spat at his boots.

"Another one off the list" Reaper said triumphantly.

Just when he was about to pull the trigger, he felt a needle prick his neck.

Then the world turned black.

McCree quickly took cover as Reaper fell backwards and watch when someone with a mask ran into view.

"Whoever you are, thanks partner" McCree said gratefully.

The person looked down at the fallen Mercenary and after making sure he is asleep, she raise her rifle at McCree.

"Hey hey hey wait!" he shouted.

He felt a slight stinging to his chest and he closed his eyes as he braces for the pain.

A pain which never came.

In fact, he felt better.

"Wha-?"

He looked down and saw a yellow dart.

"It has been a while hasn't it McCree?" she said.

"Who are you? How did you know my name?"

"Aww... Don't tell me you have already forgotten me?" she said as she takes off her mask.

Taking off his hat he rubbed his eyes and looked closer.

"Ana?"

* * *

*City of Perm*

The group followed the so called "Rebellion" into a sewage, their hands close to their weapons while the Omnics pulled a large sleigh with unknown contents as it was covered by a cloth.

"The moment they try to ambush us, stay behind my shield" Reinhardt growled.

"I don't like this, we are too far from the exits" Torbjorn said.

"Are you alright Fareeha?" Angela asked.

"Still a bit shaky" she admitted, her arms around the doctor's neck.

"Can't you use your staff or something?"

"Unfortunately, you may have... Lost... A few functions, I need to bring you back to the lab to check"

"Shh... We are nearing the Null Sector's sensors. Though the signal is weak, we have to be quiet" the Omnic said.

They trod on silently for 15 minutes before the Omnics gave a signal that they can talk again.

"So how much further is this base of yours?"

Pointing ahead, they saw a soft glow from the wall.

Pushing off the broken chunk of the wall, they were met with an incredible sight.

They are standing on a platform and they saw hundreds upon hundreds of people below them, seeking warmth from the barrels of fire scattered everywhere.

"Who are they?" Angela asked, noticing they look malnourished.

"They are inhabitants of Perm, most of them have been here since the Revolution began"

"You mean the Second Omnic Crisis" Fareeha spat.

"Call it what you want, but we have been protecting these people for as long as we can, but we are running low on food and water for the humans"

"They're back!" a man shouted and they ran up the stairs to them.

"Did you get anything? We need something!" they begged.

"Yes yes please calm down" the Omnic said as he pulled off the cloth.

Turns out they were pulling multiple wolves and gallons of water, to which the people immediately move to collect but the Omnics suddenly pointed their guns at them.

"What are you doing?!" Angela shouted as Reinhardt grabs his hammer, ready to fight.

"We need to bring these to our butchers and they will distribute these as fairly as possible"

"We are starving! These are not enough for your so called rations!"

"We are doing the best we can, please return to the fire where it is warm"

With a flick of his wrist, the weapons hummed with power and glowed, causing the crowd to step back.

"Don't you dare harm them!" Angela shouted.

"You humans are all the same, do you not see you need to be controlled during times like this?"

"Say tat again to my face" Torbjorn snarled.

"What of concern is this to you dwarf?"

"Dwarf?!" he roared, causing many to look at them.

"Torbjorn please keep it down" Angela said.

"I misspoke, please forgive me. Once we take down the Null Sector then we shall continue this debate?" the Omnic said, trying to calm the situation.

Moments later they found themselves in one of the tents and sitting on the floor as the Omnic drew up maps in front of them.

They learnt that the Null Sector has downloaded some files from a new secret sponsor, which from the description, the Overwatch members knew secretly that it is Maximilien.

The story was told in a sombre tone, as if the Null Sector is some pious and righteous group that the world needed is has been led astray by a poisonous thought or concept that they have adopted.

The group listened impatiently, they are here to destroy the factories and key Omnics, not a history lesson.

"Which is why we need you to insert this into the mainframe" the Omnic finally finished, holding up a small USB, to which Torbjorn laughed out loud at the sight of it.

"You REALLY must be desperate to pass us something this ancient!"

"It is because it is ancient that there are less softwares to detect it" the Omnic shot back.

"And what will happen when we put this in?" Fareeha asked.

"I will take over and bring order back to the world" it said confidently.

"You mean to destroy it" Reinhardt correctly, his hand never left his hammer.

"I fight to bring freedom to Omnics across the world, I fight so the oppression can end"

"A noble cause... But you will fail" Angela said.

At those words the Omnic recoiled and the rest raised their weapons at them.

"Was it something I said?" she asked fearlessly as the group ready for battle again.

"I heard those words before... And he brought destruction upon us"

"Who?"

"The human who calls himself Doomfist"

When it saw it is their turn to react with surprise, it took the opportunity.

"I see we share a common enemy, let us join forces and help me retake the city, then we will take him down together"

They looked at each other and each slowly nodded.

"Very well... Where shall we begin?" Reinhardt asked.


	43. Chp 43 - Bodyguard Duty 5

*London: London Bridge*

It is a busy day as many tourists came to visit London Bridge with a mixture of disappointment or joy when they finally see it. Unfortunately, Agong is disappointed.

"Alright… Now I thought THAT is the bridge" he shouted as he pointed at the Tower Bridge, causing many to stare as he slurps on a bread pudding while sitting on a chair that looks too small for him.

People would've pointed and laughed if it were not for the 10 very formally dressed men who surrounded him.

"What would you have us do?" the Tigers asked.

"Bah… You… Just get me another one of those hotdogs from the market"

"Yes my lord" the man said, bowing as he walked backwards before heading off to the nearby market.

Agong sat back, his chair threatening to break as he waits for the call.

"Where is my one true love?!" he lamented as he stares at the communicator.

"My lord… Give us the word and we can get her for you"

With surprising speed, Agong smacked him on the side of the head, knocking him to the ground before he knew that he was hit.

"Don't you ever say that again… She is not worthy to be mentioned by you, let alone touched" he said angrily.

"Y-yes… Sorry my lord…"

"I'm sorry my child… But she is truly above all of you, only I can touch her, understand?" Agong said, his anger vanished just as it came.

Though he addressed it to the fallen Tiger, the rest nodded as if it is said to all of them.

So they waited, ignoring the cold air as they guard the Agong. Some brave tourists tried to take pictures but were rudely pushed away.

Finally, after what seemed to be hours, a call came.

"My love?" he asked loudly.

"Can we at least try to be adults here?" Sigma's voice came from the other side of the call.

"How dare you call me? I made it clear that only she can talk to me!" Agong shouted and cut off the call.

"Useless people, I thought I already made myself clear, they better not be ordering her around…" he mumbled.

After another hour, the communicator rang again and the call ended as quickly as it came with a single word.

"Proceed"

The men seethed with anger, how dare anyone hang up on their beloved master? But to their surprise, Agong was not only laughing, he was ecstatic.

"She called! My love finally called! Proceed with the mission! We start tonight!" he announced.

* * *

*London: Talon Hideout*

"Do you think he got the message?" SS28 asked.

"That was a good imitation and the man is an idiot, so he should" Widowmaker said from the sofa.

"Good… So where's the gift you all promised?" she asked, looking around.

"All in good time" Sigma said as he looks through their notes.

They had called every café and restaurant in England throughout the night and morning but they could not pin point a location as there are just too many or their identities are behind 'privacy laws'.

"Run the plan by me again?" SS28 requested.

"When the unpleasant man blows the bridge, we will look for them coming to the rescue, then we trace where they are coming from, we go eliminate the target while they are distracted, then we go back to base"

"If they don't come?"

"Unlikely, Overwatch agents are usually, predictably heroic"

"But lets say they don't"

"Shh! Do you hear that?"

She looked at him annoyingly as he floats up to the air to listen to… Something…

"You all seem pretty confident that you can find them" she said to Moira and Widowmaker watching the holovid.

"And that is why people fail" Widowmaker replied.

"What do you mean?"

"If you begin with the possibility of defeat, you will never achieve victory"

"Is that true Doctor?"

"I will just say I disagree with that concept completely and I would like to avoid another argument about it" Moira sighed.

"Because you know I am right" Widowmaker said snarkily.

"Science will disagree!"

* * *

*London: Whitechapel*

According to Lena, Emily usually visits Whitechapel Market before going to the station. Looking around, Quillion decided to wait in a nearby library overlooking the street and sketched the market below.

"Please do overtime" he thought, not wanting to spend more time than needed.

But he saw her 5 minutes after 5pm and he quickly went down to meet her.

"Hey there" he said, making her jump.

"Blimey you almost gave me a heart attack... What are you doing here?!" she said when she saw it is him, a hand over her heart.

"I've gotten myself into a bit of a problem and I need your help"

"Go find another bloke to help you" she said and walked away.

"Hey wait now, I didn't come all this way just because I needed someone else's help"

"Look... It's been a long day, why don't you just sod off?"

"Wow she is in a bad mood today, something must've happened at work" he thought.

"Common! I just need someone to help me find some new clothes and I don't know this place very well"

"What? You on the piss?

"What?"

"Sloshed? Wasted?" she asked impatiently.

"Oh! You mean drunk? No no no! Look, I really do need your help here"

Looking at him with disgust she continued her walk towards the station.

"Hey I apologize alright? I didn't mean to scare you like that in public"

With that she turned around and faced him, her anger evident.

"You think this is about scaring me in public?"

He looked at her with confusion as his mind raced.

Why is she so mad?

"Is this because of yesterday? I destroyed that camera to stop the broadcast!" he whispered, making sure there are no eavesdroppers.

"You really think I am a fool don't you?"

His stood there with his mouth agape.

"Is this about Lena's gift? She did want ideas and I'm just helping her!"

When he said her name, Emily couldn't take it anymore.

"Stay away from her..." she said with clenched teeth.

"What? What do yo-"

"I saw you both last night in the alleyway, who do you think you are?" she continued.

Quillion's heart raced. She saw them?

"We… Were just talking"

"You two looked like you are doing more than just talking! Well? What do you have to say now?!" her voice rising as emotions began taking hold.

"Sh-She's always been a hugger!" he protested.

"And you two just so happen to hug in secret in an alleyway?!"

Curious onlookers pretended not to listen as they lean on the wall, clearly interested in the conversation.

"If you are accusing me on having a relationship with her, you are mistaken" he said.

Crossing her arms together she waited for him to make his case.

"Well? What's really going on?" she demanded.

"I... Was trying to ask for an early leave but work denied it and I needed someone to talk to"

Emily rolled her eyes.

"And what is so important that you need to talk to her about in secret?"

Quillion desperately tried to make up a story but he could not think of anything until he saw someone reading about Russia.

"I... Just learned that my boyfriend was shot in Russia, I... I can't find what happened to him..." he said, using the pencil in his jacket to stab himself in the hand.

She blinked at those words and observe the tears in his eyes.

"Wait... You have a boyfriend?" she asked, her tone softening.

"Yeah... He's... Visiting Russia for the holidays and... The last I've heard from him was on his way to Moscow when he was shot... I couldn't... Find anything..."

"So… You're not… Interested in girls at all?"

"No… Not really no…" he lied.

"What's his name? Maybe I can help you check the system?" she asked.

"Ahmad, last name is classified I'm sorry... But thanks for your offer..."

Finally seeing a slight glint of pity in her eyes he wiped the tears off his.

"Ahh look at me, I'm a mess... Sorry for bothering ya, I'll let you go home..."

As he walked away slowly, he heard her sigh and walked up to him.

"Maybe... Just for an hour..."

Holding back a smile he nodded.

"So... Why shopping?" she asked.

He froze. Though he planned a story, this is one he absolutely did not plan for.

"Err... I... Just wanted to have a gift ready when I find him..."

She looked at him and seem to be weighing his words. He pressed the pencil deeper into the palm of his hand until he felt the tip snapped.

"Alright, what do you have in mind?"

"Maybe some jeans"

*40 minutes later*

Surprisingly the time he spent with her is not unpleasant, especially once she calmed down, even if he needed to try to understand the British slangs, though he has notice she tried to cut them down.

He learned that apart from her nursing duties, she is still a very active track and field athlete and it was there where she met Lena years back.

He is also surprised to learn that they were both into punk bands before their relationship became more serious and, though he burned with curiosity to see Lena in a punk outfit, he decided to let that remain as a mystery.

"How about this one?" Emily said, passing another set of jeans to him, this time with an elaborate pattern that is hideous.

"Err, let me try it on" he said as he stepped into the dressing room for what must've been 60th time, wondering how much longer would it take for Lena to be ready.

They have visited 5 different stores and he can feel that Emily is beginning to feel suspicious.

Finally, his communicator beeped.

Lena is ready.

"Yes I'll take this one" he said loudly as he stepped out.

"Really? This is an odd… Pattern" Emily said with an eyebrow raised but relieved that their shopping spree can end.

"Well… He has a particular fashion you see"

"Then why didn't you tell me sooner? I know a few places with patterns like these"

"R-right... Anyway, I'm starving, let's go to this café" he said, showing her the address, which surprised her.

"I know that this is your first Christmas in a while, but this place is pricey, I doubt that you can even afford a coffee there!"

"Great! You know where it is. I managed to save enough and this place has pretty good reviews, so I thought it'll be good if I check it out before we go back to work. But I'll need a guide"

Sighing loudly, Emily said "Alright then... One more stop and that's it"

"Great!" Quillion said, pressing a button on his communicator behind his back. They paid for the jeans and make their way to the station.

Snow has begun to fall and the cold winds blew when they reached the station.

"Hey, I'd just like to apologize how I've acted towards you, I was being a tosser" Emily said as she adjusts her jacket.

"If that means that you have been mean, don't mention it, I would've taken the fight to the streets if I suspect anyone trying to take my gi-boyfriend away"

"Would you?" she asked.

He looked at her with curiosity. What does she mean by that?

"You may try to act as a hardhead, but you're really a softy inside aren't you?"

"Don't mistaken being soft with being… Tame…" he said after thinking for the right word.

"What's the difference then?"

"Ever seen a dangerous animal with absolute certainty they will never attack?"

Emily laughed that that.

"I highly doubt you are a dangerous man"

"Don't tempt me now, there is a reason I'm chosen to be a bodyguard ya know"

"Dangerous or not, I highly doubt you would be able to beat her"

"Oh, I'm sure I could take her on no problem" he said confidently.

"Really now? You guys sparred before?"

"Err… No… But…"

"Then your claim is invalid" she said simply.

"I've fought with her many times, I know what she is capable of"

"But it is always easier to say you can beat someone you never fought"

"Well… Guess you're not wrong about that" he said as he sent a message to Lena when the train begin to move.

The train ride is uneventful as she took out a pad to read and Quillion just spent his time eavesdropping on various passengers, which most of the conversation revolved around Christmas or the war in Russia.

As they got out, night has fallen and a thin layer of snow has covered the landscape, a perfect proposal setting.

"Why don't we just eat here? The pie here is absolutely scrummy" Emily said when they pass through another café.

"Err… Nah I'll try that tomorrow"

"But where we are going is 4 blocks away! Can't I just pass you an interactive map?" she complained.

"It's dark so even with a map I might not be able to find it, I'll make it worth your while"

"Fine… But this is the last stop"

They picked up the pace as the temperature seemed to drop and, before they know it, they found the café with the sign Fully Booked hanging on the door.

"Please tell me you made reservations?" she asked him.

"Yup" he said, striding in confidently, Emily following close behind.

"Phew... That was cold, I'll warm up before I g-" Emily stopped mid-sentence when she saw a sign bearing the words.

_Emily my love, come in. LO._

She looked at Quillion who smiled and encouraged her to go in with a nod.

Emily walked in and was met with one of the most beautiful sights she has ever seen. Along the narrow walkway, rose petals were lined up towards the stage under an arch, all the tables and chairs have been pushed to the side neatly, saved for a table for two in the middle.

On the stage sat Lena Oxton, dressed in a plain but beautiful yellow dress and holding a guitar, smiling nervously.

"Lena... What is all this?" Emily choked.

Without answering, Lena took a deep breath and began playing the song that she practiced for so many months.

_Wise man say only fools rush in_

_But I can't help, falling in love with you_

As Lena continued her song, Emily stood stunned, entranced by what she is seeing as she slowly walks towards her.

Allowing Emily to walk in alone, Quillion carefully lean against the arch and closed his eyes as he listen, allowing himself to feel Lena's passion through the song.

She sang it very differently from their practice sessions. Before it was like a seed, getting the tunes and pacing right and now… Her hard work bloomed into a beautiful rendition as each word was sung with purpose and passion.

First emotion he felt is trust, a deep trust that drove the song, complimented by happiness and joy from the memories that they must've shared. This was quickly followed by the purity of their relationship, one built by time and understanding, things that only they are privy to.

However, the one that moved him the most, the deep and powerful emotion that brought it all together, if missing would render the song useless, if non-existent, the song will be bland regardless who sang it.

Love.

He no longer feels any jealousy. In fact, he felt peace, a peace that can only be found by embracing the sadness. Sadness born from the fact that though he does love her, it was not meant to be. But now, instead of fighting it, he has helped her secure the love of her life.

What more could he ask from himself, a man from a different age, to do for his friend?

Halfway through the song, Quillion felt that he should not have the luxury to listen to the whole song.

It is for Emily and her alone.

He gave them one final look and walked into the kitchen where a waiter and a waitress are also waiting, food ready on the tray.

"She sings so beautifully" the waiter said as Quillion inspects the food.

"Yes she does..." agreed the waitress "Oh! Here" she added, holding out a handkerchief, which confused Quillion.

"What's this?" he asked.

She motioned on one side of her face, indicating tears. Confused, he touched his face and realized he has tears rolling down his face.

"Ahh... Thank you" he said, accepting the handkerchief, wondering why he would even have tears.

"You're welcome dear" she said sweetly "When do you think it's your turn?"

Quillion laughed softly at that question "I don't think I'll ever find her"

"Oh don't be such a drab, you're still young! You'll find her soon" she retorted.

Quillion could only smile sadly at those words.

"Shh... I think she is done" the waiter said. Quillion listened and indeed Lena has finished the song.

With a nod, he opened the door for the waiter and waitress to bring the food to the table.

Once the food is set, the wine poured and the candle lit did Lena invite the stunned Emily to sit down with her.

"Lena... What's going on?" Emily asked quietly.

"Emily..." Lena said, holding her girlfriend's hand "For once in my life, I don't have to try to be happy when I'm with you and that was the most beautiful gift anyone could've gave me"

"Oh god..." Emily choked as she saw Lena pulling out a small box.

"Give me the chance to give you the same gift you gave me. I love you Emily, will you marry me?" Lena asked, revealing the ring as she opens the box carefully.

Everyone in the room held its breath as they await Emily's answer.

"Yes!" she said after what felt like an eternity.

The couple embraced each other tightly as they began whispering something into each other's ear as every attendant applause for the happy couple.

Everyone except Quillion, who raised his hands to clap but couldn't bring them together when a realization hit him.

He has never seen anyone so happy in his life, especially Lena. She has always been the life of the party but this look is different, it is a look of pure joy.

And he is ashamed that he thought he could ever make someone that happy, but out of his unfounded love, he made a decision.

As Lena and Emily danced in the middle of the dining hall, looking like angels, he made a promise.

"Lena… Since Emily has become your family, I will keep you both safe from harm, this I promise…" he muttered under his breath.

It was then they heard it.

At first it came as a low rumble, the sounds can be easily mistaken as a car driving by, but soon it grew into a loud crackle as distant sounds of multiple explosives are set off.

Quillion and Lena looked out the window and saw a crowd of people are running away from something as police cars race towards the explosion.

Lena looked at Quillion who has already pulled out his pistol.

"The Pub. Now."

* * *

Dear Readers!

I just want to add a note that I hope everyone is doing well during these difficult times and I have faith that it will pass soon and we can all go back to our normal lives.

Until then, stay safe. Keep calm and Tracer on!

If you are curious how I envision Lena singing, please look for the following in Youtube.

"Can't Help Falling In Love" by Elvis Presley Alyssa Baker Cover


	44. Chp 44 - Sparks of Hope - End

*Russia: City of Izhevsk*

It has only been two days of brutal contest for the city.

Two days of death and fire.

Men and women groaned in pain as they are escorted into the last defensible position left intact. The center of the city, where the last few remaining HSI squads, three artillery guns and a fraction of the Osvoboditel' Scout Battalion reinforced their positions.

Combined with the Conscript Division, only 200 fighting personnel remained.

Overall command has been passed to HSI Officer Gabriel, who now spends most of his time hovering over the city to inspect the perimeter.

"It is still not too late for us to retreat to more favorable situations" Tom said as he hovers with him.

"Shouldn't you be down there with the wounded?" he sighed.

"Yes, but we have run out of medical supplies hours ago, there is nothing more I can do for them"

Gabriel looked over to the horizon and imagine a large UN force is coming to their rescue, but all he sees is a partial Null Sector force that is getting ready to wipe them out.

"Do you have any plans to get us out of here?"

"Well, I suppose if we ask them nicely, we might have a chance" he replied sarcastically.

Tom ignored the sly remark and ask another question.

"I've been wondering, why would the Null Sector dedicate so much resources to destroy us? Surely just a few hundred more would be enough"

Gabriel did not answer. This has been bothering him as well.

"How about the rest of the world? How are they holding up?" Tom asked again.

"The Americas, Canada, and Europe has reported heavy invasion since the extremists launched their attack"

"Shouldn't we be there instead of here then?"

"They have been warned beforehand and they should be prepared to handle it, therefore the UN asked us to remain here to contain the situation"

Looking down, Gabriel notice a lone man standing over a pile of rubble, covered from head to toe in ash.

"Who is that?" he asked.

"He is the Lieutenant of the Conscripts. He refuses to tell me his name" Tom said after a short scan.

"And what is he doing there?"

"He insists that he feels better closer to danger, something that does not make sense"

"To an Omnic"

"You know, it is because of that sort of reasoning some of us turn to the Null Sector"

"Go back to the wounded, do what you can"

With that they parted.

"Lieutenant" Gabriel said as he landed.

"Afternoon" the Lieutenant greeted back emotionlessly, offering him a cigarette.

"Always worse when it's quiet eh?" he asked, accepting the smoke.

The Lieutenant nodded, his hands trembling slightly as he takes a long drag from his cigarette.

"What do you think our chances are?" he asked.

"Well… The artillery crew knows how to shoot now… I'd say we have a pretty good chance" Gabriel said.

Both men chuckled bitterly at those words.

"Since they know how to shoot, what is the plan?"

"The guns will face the main streets converging to the base, whatever those Null Sectors throw at us, I want to give them a bang of a welcome once the walls go down"

The Lieutenant nodded in agreement, no point for long range firepower anymore anyway.

"Help me understand one thing, why are they still attacking this city? The could've just walked around it and continued to Moscow"

Gabriel thought a moment before answering.

"I do not know. Either pride or bad programming"

"Pride?"

"They are programmed to be somewhat like us, they just can't understand why. But my money is in programming, since the Crusaders in Germany reported that the Null Sector just march onwards without thinking and this city happens to be in the way"

Sighing the Lieutenant put out his cigarette.

"Where will the Conscripts be?"

"There is nothing more your men can do"

"You look down on us?"

"No, I was impressed, but you and a handful of others are the only ones with the will to fight on"

"I will talk to them and-"

"Throw them back into the meat grinder? I don't think so"

When Gabriel saw a mixture of disappointment and anger in the Lieutenant's face, he added.

"But if you can arrange spotters, that would be helpful"

"I will do that"

"There are three entrances to base, none of them can fall, the moment they do, it is over"

"Noted. When will they attack you think?"

"Soon"

*Half an hour later*

Hundreds of Nullifiers marched towards the middle of the city on main street, foregoing all strategy or tactics and in a parade formation as if they are some heroic liberators.

The sight angered the locals but they could only report back what they see as they silently observe from whatever ruins they could hide in.

Stopping before the makeshift wall, a Behemoth walked up to it and the guards raise their weapons.

"People of Russia!" its voice boomed, echoing in the air "You have fought well and-"

Its head exploded in a shower of sparks and before its body even hit the ground, the ruins came alive with concentrated firepower from all sides. It was so sudden and efficient that the Nullifiers are destroyed within a minute.

But this victory did not bring any cheers, only pats in the back as the Scouts quickly and silently relocate, knowing full well that the Nullifiers had sent their location back to their guns.

"That was amazing" the Lieutenant admitted.

"Indeed, the Osvoboditel' lives up to their reputation" Gabriel said.

Multiple reports began pouring in that the Null Sector has begun advancing its main force towards the center.

"Well, let's hope they will exceed expectations"

"HSI, give them a barrage" Gabriel ordered and his soldiers flew into the skies.

The battle for the city erupted in renewed fury, the combined skill and training of the Scouts and HSI proved lethal as they force the Omnics to pay dearly for every feet they trod upon as every trick in the book is dealt.

Mines, bombs, and traps have been littered across the city and the underground sewers are used extensively. Decoy machine gun nests and dummies confused their scanners as nearby fires or heat sources disguised them.

Hit and run tactics confused the invaders, scattering the main forces into groups where they are promptly destroyed, either by ambushes, waiting HSI rockets, or even leading them into their own artillery.

Their efforts have effectively made whatever attempts to break down the walls manageable for the defenders, who are now manned by mostly injured Scouts or Conscripts that the Lieutenant could convince to go back to the fight.

"We can win! We have a chance!" the Lieutenant thought, permitting himself a fragment of hope.

But when he saw the Scouts and HSI returning to resupply, he noticed that their numbers are steadily decreasing, wiping away any hope that he has.

Though they are winning many battles, the Null Sector can easily afford the high toll demanded by the defenders.

* * *

*Egypt: Somewhere along the Nile*

"Thanks for the ride partner" McCree said as they got off a medical transport, adjusting the large bag on his shoulder.

"Tell me again how you convince them to let us on?" Ana asked.

"Well I just said we are pals of Dr Zigler and I got some buddies here that can fix my arm"

Checking the time, Ana shot another sleep dart at the body bag.

"Whoa there, we don't want to overdo it now" McCree exclaimed.

"Do not worry, I am personally monitoring the dosage"

"Personally? There ain't no one else here"

"Common, we need to be there before sunset"

"How far exactly is this place?"

She did not answer, instead she just walked, trekking over sand dunes, stopping ever so often to make sure McCree is still following her or to shoot the body bag.

"How many more darts do you have? Cause we may need to save one in case he wakes up ya know?"

"I have enough" she replied simply.

That being said he decided to shut his mouth, saving every ounce of energy he could as the desert sun hangs over them.

"Wonder how is Genji doing" McCree thought.

After Ana saved him from Reyes, Genji and Maximilien are already long gone without a trace, now they are back to square one.

As they walked, he noticed that they are walking deeper into the desert and away from civilization.

"If I don't know any better, I'd say you have a hole buried somewhere?"

"Something like that. But not like that" she added when she saw his face.

"In case you didn't notice, this 'prisoner' is as bad as they come"

"So you support his decision in Venice?"

McCree said nothing.

Though it is true that he thinks Antonio should pay for his crimes at the end of a barrel, it should not have led to the downfall of the one place he could call home.

And though them man who pulled the trigger deserves the same fate, he secretly fears that history will repeat itself.

"Then what are we doing out here? We should be looking for Genji or Maximilien"

"All in good time, we just need to get your arm checked out"

"I can still shoot with my right"

"Trust me, to get Maximilien, you will need both arms and… Less baggage" she added, looking at the body bag.

"Speaking of which, how much further?"

She squatted down and, as if by magic, lifted a chain from underneath and gave it a tug, revealing a trap door close to them.

"Well… I gotta say that's impressive" McCree said as he watch her climb down.

Once inside, he gave a sigh of relief to be out of the sun before looking around.

Though her "camp" is simple and plain, he was impressed.

They are inside a seemingly forgotten steel container that has been buried under a few feet of sand. There is a kitchen, a table, and a computer with a wire extending to the surface.

"Very cozy, but I do not think we can keep him here"

Ana chuckled.

"I agree, he will be placed in the other room"

"Other?"

Pulling a piece of steel from the wall, she revealed a dark tunnel, leading to another container.

"You're still just a bundle of surprises aren't ya?"

"This is where Egypt discards all their containers back in the day"

As they make their way through the maze of containers, McCree saw many impressive sights. A small armory where hundreds of small darts are laid out neatly, some toiletries, and even a small library with an old holovid.

"Looks like you've been busy" McCree said when he saw multiple pictures of Ana and Maximilien scattered throughout the table.

"Put him on the bed"

Laying him down on the bed, McCree aimed his revolver carefully at his chest and Ana slowly unzips the bag. To their relief, Reyes is not feigning sleep.

Ana quickly fills a bag with what McCree guess is the sleep potion and inserted the needle into his arm.

"There, he should not wake for another few hours"

"Great, now we can find Genji" McCree said as he holsters his revolver.

"He will not be too hard to find, first lets take a look at your arm"

Sitting him down on a chair she begun her scanning.

"Where'd you learn how to fix these anyway?"

'If you've forgotten, I have some implants myself"

"I thought those are only for your eyes?"

"An eye is more complicated than an arm"

"I… Don't think that makes this any easier"

"Alright, just count to ten"

"What?"

Without another thought she shot a sleeping dart into his chest and the world became black.

"Sorry Jesse, but you talk to much" she said as she proceeded to repair his arm.

With her focus fully on McCree, she did not see Reaper began emitting slight vapors of shadow where he slept.

* * *

*Russia: City of Perm*

Large groups of Nullifiers marched out the Omnium and marched towards different directions, some are dedicated to the direction of Moscow, some are to transport ships that are dedicated to different countries for invasion or building new Omniums.

Today there will be a meeting of the Null Sector elites and main leaders of the Omnic Crisis.

And the Overwatch agents will use an underground passage to infiltrate the Omnium and install the mysterious USB drive into the mainframe.

"You sure there is nothing in there that is dangerous?" Reinhardt asked.

"I checked it with Torbjorn, it looks like it is designed only to shut down the factory" Fareeha said as she limps along with them, now back in her armor.

"Hmm… I still don't like this, it is too easy" Reinhardt said.

"Then let us hope it will be as easy as you think, we only have one chance" the Omnic Leader said.

"Can we trust your Omnics Braids? Cause I've fought them before and they were not very impressive" Torbjorn asked.

"I told you not to call me that"

"Hey, if you won't tell us your name, we're calling you Braids"

"Can we just focus?" Angela asked.

"Indeed, we are directly under the Omnium now" Braids said, waving his hand and his Null Troopers and a few OR14-NS prepare their weapons.

As they approach to a clearing, they heard loud sounds of metal grinding and banging ahead of them in the darkness.

After Braids peeked around the corner, he shot a flare into the sky and revealed that they have entered a dump where scrap metal and wire rain down from a large hole above them.

"You led us to a dump, how original" Torbjorn said.

Ignoring him, the Omnics led them to a large iron door where a pack of Slicers and a large hole is waiting for them.

"From here on we must be quiet"

"Yeah yeah, whatever"

Surprisingly the factory is strangely empty, saved for the incomplete Null Sector armies that hung on moving grills moving to the assembly halls.

"Where is everyone? I thought there was a meeting?" Reinhardt asked quietly.

"Everything here is automated and the High Council does not feel there is a need for guards"

"High Council? That's what you call them?"

"It is the closest word in English that I am able to translate" Braids said simply.

Creeping along the darkest corners, they climbed the Omnium, only once they had to wait for Braids to speak to a single patrol of Omnics to change directions.

It was not long before they climbed to the highest floor and to a door.

"This is where they are having the meeting, prepare yourselves" Braids said.

"I do not hear anything from the other side" Angela said.

With a snap of his fingers, the Slicers began their work to open the door while the OR14-NS began setting up defenses behind them.

Seeing this, Reinhardt activates his barrier as the Slicers finished their work, their sparks clearly can be seen on the other side of the door.

Kicking it down, they rushed and expected the room to stare at them in fear or put up some sort of fight, but neither happened.

Sitting down neatly in two rows, the Omnic Leaders sat still as statues, multiple wires connected to a large mainframe, sitting in the middle of the room.

"Quick, we must shut the meeting down quickly!" Braids said quickly.

"They're just sitting here doing nothing" Reinhardt complained, disappointed.

"They are all connected to the mainframe, install the program now!"

Torbjorn held onto the thumb stick and did nothing.

"Ya know, you didn't need us here, you could've done all this yerself"

"I didn't need you for this, I needed your strength so we can complete the download"

"How bad could it possibly get?"

"Fine!" Braid shouted, the constant bickering finally broke his demeanor, snatching the drive away from his hands and was just about to stick it in when he paused.

"Well, what're ya waiting for?" Torbjorn taunted.

"I am sorry my friends" they heard him whisper before inserting the drive.

Immediately the room flashed red and an alarm is sounded and they felt what seemed like a stampede coming towards them.

"We need to hold the doors while the file downloads"

"Ha! We get to fight after all!" Reinhardt shouted.

Checking her rocket launcher, she noticed that it is humming louder than usual.

"Thanks for the assist"

"I'll keep my eye on you" Mercy promised.

Gunfire echoed from the stairway and its intensity grew ever louder.

"Keep them away from here as far as possible, I'll stay here" Braids instructed.

"Oh no you don't, I ain't leaving you alone anywhere" Torbjorn said.

"As you wish"

"Come my friends! There's glory to be won!' Reinhardt shouted joyfully, his body aching for a fight.

As they ran towards the battle with the Null Troopers, Torbjorn pointed his Rivet Gun at Braids.

"What are you doing?"

"Let us get something straight here, though we are allies, I still don't trust you"

Eyeing the Rivet Gun carefully, Braids nodded slowly.

"I agree"

With incredible speed, the Omnic smacked the gun out of his hand and punched Torbjorn so hard he flew across the room.

"I am sorry little man, but this is far to important than to secure our alliance"

Walking to the mainframe, he grabbed a wire and connected himself to it.

* * *

*Gibraltar: War Room"

Morrison and the remaining agents watched in dismay as the global invasion has begun.

"What are we going to do?" Brigitte asked.

"The countries are still holding" Winston observed.

Though on their map it looks like the invasion is under control as the countries that they warned are somewhat prepared for it.

However, Morrison watched on with intense concentration, as the slightest slip of the advantages that the world holds could mean its doom.

"Brigitte, you are needed" he suddenly said.

She looked at him with surprise, he rarely calls her by her first name.

"Sir!"

"You are needed in Brazil, be ready to move out within the hour" Morrison pointed as distress calls from South America began to increase.

As she ran out of the room to prepare, Morrison turned his attention back to Russia and Egypt.

"How do you think they are doing?" Mei asked attentively.

"As long as we cut off their main supply lines, then the world has a chance to hold them back" Morrison growled.

Flipping the image to Australia, he is relieved to see its 'Mad Max' culture has prepared them for any invasion long ago.

This leaves…

"Italy…"

"What?" Winston asked.

"Colonel Smith!" Morrison called, to which the Colonel came with his notebook in his hands.

"Once the world is stable, make arrangements to investigate Italy"

"Yes sir!"

"But why Italy?" Mei inquired, beating Winston to it by a few seconds.

"Alex mentioned Venice when I was 'speaking' with him, the way the Null Sector is behaving and the fact Maximilien is funding them, this could be the possible Talon Base"

Mei and Winston look at each other with concern.

"Err… Jack… There are many other countries that are attacked, so this could be too far of a stretch"

"Why?"

Winston looked around and lowered his voice to a low grumble.

"I fear that you hope Italy is the location because it is from that incident that became the downfall of Overwatch… I think you should reconsider"

As Morrison was about to reply, Athena spoke.

"Commander, possible terrorist activities reported in England"

"Bring it up" he commanded.

They watched as multiple recording of the destruction of London Bridge is played. At first the initial explosion did not do much damage, then the second, more powerful explosion ripped it apart, collapsing it into the river.

The next scene is a very large man singing "London Bridge is Falling Down" gleefully as he revels in its destruction.

"Mexican! Biru Hantu! I know you are here!" he shouted when he finished, holding up a picture for all to see.

To their horror it is a picture of Lena, Emily, and an unknown woman who must be the "Mexican".

"If you do not come to me soon, I will kill one hostage every 5 minutes"

The camera moved to a group of people being rounded up by the Tigers.

He smiled evilly into the camera, turned around, and shot a man at random.

"Starting from now… Clock's ticking…"

The video flashed to a pre-recorded video where he continually sings "London Bridge is Falling Down"

"Athena, where is Lena now?" Morrison asked.

"One of our safehouses have just been activated, identification is Private Zero and Emily" Athena reported.

"What about Lena?" Winston asked.

"She did not enter the facility"

"Then where is she?" Morrison demanded.

When Athena could not give an answer, Morrison turned to Winston.

"Go to England and get them back, I have a feeling they are in danger"

Winston nodded and galloped off.


	45. Chp 45 - Bodyguard Duty 6

*London: Overwatch Safehouse*

Securing the door carefully and turning on all the cameras, Quillion and Lena switched to their combat gear while Emily waited in the living room.

"Who do you think it is?" Lena asked, peeling off her dress behind a screen.

"No idea, let's just hope it's a false alarm" he replied, slapping on one of Torbjorn's armor discs before loading multiple magazines into his pockets.

Fully armed and armored, Quillion tried to send a report back to base but for some reason their communications are jammed.

"I'll check on Emily" Lena said after securing her Chronal Accelerator and blinking to the other room.

Glancing at the cameras for the final time, he took a vest and brought it out.

"Here, put this on as a precaution" he said as the threw it to Emily before switching on the holovid, to which the news channel came on.

"... we do not know who or what has destroyed London bridge but people fear this will be a repeat of Kings Row many years ago..."

Both looked at Lena quickly but she is fully focused at the task at hand. Quillion sighed in relief, having Tracer around is always a good comfort.

"We are just receiving a report that the attackers are livestreaming their attack and the police has tried to shut the channels down but have failed" the news reporter said.

"Which channel would they be using?" Quillion asked.

With a few keystrokes, Emily found it on her personal holopad.

"Hey there Mexican! Biru Hantu! I'm still waiting for you!" an incredibly large man shouted into the camera and holding a picture that shocked them.

It is a picture of a purple haired woman who has her arms around Lena and Emily.

Quillion stared, this 'Sombra' is an ally all along? But before he could ask the man continued.

"We know both of you are here in London! And it has been 5 minutes!" he shouted gleefully, shooting another hostage behind him at random.

"Remember! Clock's ticking!"

Laughing boisterously, he waved goodbye as the screen changed to a pre-recorded video of him singing "London Bridge is Falling Down"

"The CTSFO has made multiple attempts to rescue the hostages but have been repelled by the terrorists, all citizens should stay at home and-" the news reporter said from the holovid concluded.

"Who is that girl Lena?" Emily asked quietly.

But Lena did not seem to hear her, her focus entirely on the holovid.

Beep.

He looked and saw it is a message from Morrison.

"Stay at the Pub, Scientist will pick up package" he read aloud.

"What does that mean?" Emily asks.

"It means we just stay here until reinforcements arrive" Quillion replied.

Lena stayed silent, her eyes shifting from the holovid and the holopad, they could see her shaking slightly as if she is facing an internal battle within herself.

"Lena? You alright?" Quillion asked.

Tearing her eyes away from the screens, she looked directly at Emily.

"Luv..." she said with a distraught face.

"I know... I can't stop you even if I tried" Emily comforted her with a sad smile.

"I'm sorry" Lena said.

Emily stood up and gave Lena a hug.

"Be careful out there" she said.

Lena nodded and looked at Quillion.

"Take care of her for me" Lena said, breaking the hug and securing her gloves.

"Whoa where do you think you're going?"

"You heard them, it'll take an army to stop them and by then more people will die"

"Our orders are to stay here"

"Sometimes you have to defy the orders just to do what is right" she replied calmly.

"Quillion, don't even try" Emily said.

Looking at both of them, he relented.

"Very well… Then I should go with you, if we go with Zero Trace then they won't stand a chance"

"No, take care of her for me" she said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Seeing the trust she has for him, he relented.

"Yes ma'am" he said.

"Be back in a tick" Lena said, giving a two-finger salute before disappearing.

"Does she usually do that salute at work?" Emily asked.

"You have no idea" Quillion said, walking back to the monitoring room.

"When is Winston going to arrive?" Emily suddenly added.

He stopped and turned around.

"How did you know that name?"

"Lena and I celebrated Christmas with him once"

"Then… You know he is a…"

"Scientist? Yes"

"Ape… You know he is a talking ape…" Quillion blurted out, unable to stop himself.

"Oh, yes I know"

"Well… Guess I don't need to introduce you when he comes… Which should be in… Within the hour"

* * *

*London Bridge: Borough Market Side*

"Well, it has been 5 minutes again, time for someone to die!" Agong declared as he snapped his fingers.

A shout came from the hostages as one is dragged by the hair towards him.

"I apologize for the harsh treatment, but I'm just too lazy to turn around" he said, sparing a second to look at the pile of bodies on the side.

"Please, I have a baby!" the woman begged, tears pouring down her face.

"Oh don't worry, it will join you soon enough" he said as he takes aim.

At that instant, the pistol is shot out of his hand.

"Go go go!'

Flashbangs and smoke grenades exploded around them as the CTFSO storms their location in another desperate attempt to save the hostages.

"Won't they ever learn?" Agong sighed and clapped his hands.

Prowling from the shadows came the Tigers, each awaiting the signal since they saw the assailants getting into position 10 minutes ago.

One by one, they effortlessly assassinate every attempt to get near, even the snipers a few blocks away met their doom by garroting.

Once the smoke clears, everyone was distraught to see that Agong remained standing and the hostages are in more danger than ever.

"Well, thanks to you, I'll have to use another weapon!" he shouted to the crowd, pulling out a knife.

"No you don't!" a young officer shouted, unable to contain himself anymore, charging the man with his pistol, ignoring his superiors.

Laughing boisterously, Agong welcome the attack with open arms, offering no resistance as the man emptied his entire mag into his chest.

Everyone watched with a mixture of disbelief and hope as all bullets hit home, dust flew out from his clothes with each shot.

Agong stepped backwards once, then twice, before collapsing to the ground with a large thud.

The officer stood over the man, his gun clicking as he ceaselessly pulls the trigger, staring in disbelief that the terrorist is dead.

"Is… Is it over?" one of the hostages asked.

In the blink of an eye, Agong's hand shot upwards and grab the officer by the neck.

"No!" he shouted mockingly over the screams of anguish as he began to bend the neck of the officer with his thumb.

The officers stood where they stood, horrified at the seemingly unkillable man standing before them, not knowing what to do.

"Hiya Tracer here!" a voice sounded through their coms.

"Who is this?" the Captain demanded.

"I am going to keep them busy, save the hostages" Lena said before cutting off.

"Cheers love! The cavalry's here!" a voice rang out in the cold air.

As everyone was looking for the source of the noise, she kicked away Agong's hand in mid air and blinked the officer away.

"Good job mate, the world could always use more heroes" she said with a smile before blinking away.

"Biru Hantu? About time you show up! Is your Mexican friend with you?" he shouted.

"Looks like you need a time out" Lena said as she threw a Pulse Bomb at him, trying to end the fight quickly.

At that moment, a Tiger hiding closest to the Agong leapt out of cover and stuck himself with the bomb, jumping away a certain distance before he exploded, his body flung to the side, groaning in pain.

Seeing this, Agong's anger flared.

"You thought that you can kill me with such a useless explosive? Me? I am Agong! You think I'm that weak?!" he roared.

"Then come get me ya big baby!" Lena challenged, firing her pistols as she blinks in and out of existence.

"Tigers! Get her!" he ordered.

Instantly they pounced, doing their best to catch her. But it proved to be an impossible task as they are now fighting in her pace.

The more aggressive they get, the easier it is for Tracer to fight.

"Whoa there! Hands off!" she said when one finally manages to grab a leg.

Swiftly twisting her body, she kicked him off and continuously shoot in every direction, injuring almost all the assailants.

Agong took a deep breath and called a number, his heart quickened with every ring.

"Qui?"

"Oh my dear! It is so good to hear your voice!"

"Is she there?"

"Yes! And I am thinking afterwards we can-"

The call was cut before he finished his sentence.

"The love of my love! What sass! What fire!" he lamented to himself.

To ease himself from his 'heartbreak', he sat down on his chair and open another box of bread pudding, watching the fight between the ghost and his Tigers.

* * *

*London: Overwatch Safehouse*

Emily's eyes are glued to the screen as the gunfight is being broadcasted, at the edge of her seat as she watches her fiancé battle the terrorists.

Quillion is staring into screens as well, though in the Monitor Room. Despite being attacked is extremely unlikely, he does not wish to be surprised.

However, he could not deny that it is frustrating. Lena is off on a rescue mission and here he is doing nothing.

"No, she must stay safe at all costs" he thought to himself, looking into the other room.

"Still… Of all the nights… Why tonight?" he asked himself.

Bing.

Flipping open his communicator he read the message.

"Your safehouse is compromised, RUN"

Snapping a look at the screen he saw a woman and a man staring directly into one of the cameras.

Bing.

"RUN NOW"

"Emily, we have to go now" he said as he ran into the other room, putting on his sunglasses that is now flashing warning signs all over the lenses.

"Why?" she asked, standing up.

Suddenly two words glared back at him.

"GET DOWN!"

The wall collapsed as a car smashed through it with incredible force, billowing dust into the room.

"Widowmaker, did we get them?" Sigma asked as he floats in, one hand behind his back.

"I do not smell blood..." SS28 growled as she jumps in, landing on the sofa.

"They escaped and are now running through the street to your left" Widowmaker said as she watches the events unfold through her scope.

"They knew we were coming?" Sigma wondered.

"I'll get them" SS28 said as she jumps out of the building.

"Let me know if a shuttle arrives" Sigma said as he levitates after her.

* * *

*Streets of London*

"Let me down! I'm going to be sick!" Emily shouted as Quillion turned the corner.

"Alright take it easy" he said, forcing down his Battle Rage.

Once her set her down and she retched onto the ground, he looked back and saw that the attackers are moving towards them.

Fast.

"Execute Extraction Plan D" he commanded.

His glasses responded by showing him the way to The Farm, which is about 24 miles West.

"Ever done a 40 kilometer marathon?" he asked, checking his pistol.

"Just lead the way" she said, wiping off the bile with a shaking hand.

* * *

*Spain: Over Bay of Biscay*

"Safehouse compromised" Athena reported.

Winston stopped pacing and studied the recordings. His heart dropped when he saw that the attackers are the ones who defeated Genji.

"Pilot! How much longer?" he asked.

"Wind's fighting against us, little more than 40 minutes"

He grunted.

"They should be able to handle it in 40 minutes…" he thought.

"Winston! Urgent reports! Extremists hiding in London has begun to attack multiple areas!" Athena reported.

* * *

*Streets of London*

Quillion stopped and peeked around the corner, horrified to see a bunch of Omnics throwing molotovs into a store and some spraying symbols onto the wall.

"What is going on?" he wondered aloud.

Emily gasped when she saw what they are spraying.

"They are Null Sector sympathizers! They are trying to start another uprising!" she said with fear in her voice.

Using his glasses, he saw that the rioting has erupted all around them, effectively cutting them off from the current path.

"Aww… Looks like you have finally been cornered" they heard a woman say behind them.

He pulled Emily behind him and pointed his gun at…

"Sombra?"

"We meet again amigo" she said calmly.

"You! You're the woman the man is looking for!" Emily snarled.

"I can show you where you need to go, just follow my instructions and everything should be fine" Sombra continued, ignoring Emily.

"Why should I trust you?" Quillion asked, his pistol never leaving her face.

"Who do you think sent you all those messages? If it weren't for me, this amiga would've died"

She looked behind her as Quillion quickly weigh his options.

"Clock's ticking"

"Very well… What do we do now?"

"They have a sniper tracking us, I'll take care of her, you two just follow this"

Waving her hand in mid air, Quillion's glasses updated its maps,

"There they are!" SS28 screeched.

"See ya both there" Sombra said with a smile before disappearing.

"Just give her up and we might just let you go!" SS28 shouted, her claws raking against the walls threateningly.

In response, Quillion took aim.

"You think you can stop me with that?" she laughed.

He pulled the trigger and she flew back a few yards when the bullet exploded on her chest.

"Go go! Left!" he said as he took off running.

"No one could've survived that" Emily panted as she ran next to him.

A screech from behind them pierce through the night.

"She did" Quillion said.

* * *

*London Bridge: Borough Market Side*

Lena stood triumphant after she kick the last Tiger to the ground, each of them groaning in pain as their clothes are filled with smoking holes.

"Now… Where were we?" she asked as she approached Agong, who is still sitting on his chair.

"You didn't kill them?" he asked in an almost disappointed voice.

"No, they will rot in jail with you"

Sighing, he stood up and stretched.

"I see now that you have been holding back… Which makes this boring…"

"Not everyone is like you who kills for fun" she growled back.

"And you will regret living in a world of black and white, let me give you an example why you need to start killing"

When he turned his pistol towards the hostages, they are all gone.

"Wha…"

"Good job everyone!" Lena shouted to the barricades.

"You are both under arrest! Put down your weapons!" the police responded on a bullhorn, stunning Lena.

"Hahahahaha! Looks like your efforts are wasted on these normals, so let me make a proposition for you"

"And that would be?"

"You're a pretty good fighter, why don't you join me? I can satisfy you in every aspect of your life, you never have to worry about anything every again"

"I think I'll pass on that" she said with a look of disgust

"Then die"

Raising his pistol, he began shooting at her, ignoring the police demanding them to stop.

"Are you really trying to shoot me now? Your men tried and it didn't work" she taunted.

Her head exploded with pain, staggering her as she blinked.

She looked up and saw that he has his arm outstretched.

"No, but you are too predictable" he said with a smile.

Predictable? She has always hated that word.

She tried to blink away to put some distance and a bullet grazed her leg.

"Hmm… Just a bit off" Agong said, reloading his pistol.

Anger flared within her and she attacked, trying her best to disarm or cripple him but his skin is too thick.

"Your petty lights wont even pierce my body! Unless you increase the power to be more than a flashlight, more people will die tonight!"

Throwing another Pulse Bomb, he caught and crushed it with his fist.

"At least try!" he laughed.

"I need to end this quick, I need to go back to Emily" Lena thought desperately.

"Get your head in the game hantu!" he yelled, managing to punch her in the gut when she blinked to dodge his bullet.

Grabbing her by the hair, he pulled her up like a ragdoll, he pointed his gun over her heart.

"Any last words?"

In the blink of an eye, she disappeared and reappeared a short distance away from him.

"Let's try that again" she said.

* * *

*Streets of London*

A car came crashing down in front of them on a street.

"Brace yourself!" Quillion shouted as he grabbed Emily around the waist and leapt over the car.

"Don't look back!" he shouted, kneeling down to shoot back at their pursuers.

She heard multiple explosions and suddenly the woman with the claws jumped down in front of her.

"Die!" she screamed while slashing down a claw.

Emily closed her eyes and expected pain but it never came, instead she was met with a loud bang and a wave of heat.

When she peeked, she saw that Quillion's shoulder is covered in blood and the woman is knocked to the ground.

"What happened?"

"Run!" he yelled as he shot a fire hydrant that is flung at them.

Plans to lose them in the crowd of rioters or through police barricades were quickly dashed as the man easily tore open holes in every obstacle thrown in their way.

"Sombra, if you can hear me, I need to know if the sniper is out of commission!" he spoke out loud, hoping that she installed some form of way to communicate.

Receiving no response, they kept running. A few times they were cornered and Quillion had to force an opening to escape.

As the minutes crawl by, Emily saw that he is getting bloodier and bloodier as he used his body as a literal shield between them and her.

Thankfully a message from Sombra finally flashed on his lenses.

"Sniper lens hacked, hide"

Throwing down a smoke bomb, he grabbed Emily and slipped away into a small park.

"Where are they?"

"I think I see them over there!"

Quillion and Emily sighed in relief when they went the opposite direction.

"We need to patch you up" Emily said, looking at his battered body.

"Don't worry, I got it covered…" he gasped, pulling out a small tube and plant it on the ground.

"What is that?"

"Biotic Field… Sprays medicine into the air, it'll take care of the minor wounds…"

She watched in amazement that his bleeding seems to lessen.

"This reminds me of the regulators that the gangsters use in Australia"

"What?"

"There has been reports that large gangsters in Australia breath concentrated medicinal gas"

"That's actually a good idea…" he said.

"How many more of those do you have?"

"Just one more"

"Let me patch the shoulder up for a second" she offered, but he pushed her away.

"No, we need to move"

"It'll just take a sec"

"They know where we are" he said, peering through the bushes.

"I thought Sombra took care of it?"

"Evidently it was only temporary, prepare yourself… Ready… Go!"

Charging out of the park, they were almost crushed by a large boulder that flew at their direction. Firing high explosive rounds, he manages to hold them at bay.

Attracted by the sounds of gunfire, many Omnics joined what they thought is a riot, chanting and yelling as they march the streets.

"We are being cut off again" Quillion said as he quickly looks around.

Running into a random alleyway, he saw that they ran into a dead end.

He pointed his gun at the wall and pulled the trigger, but only a click is heard.

"Aww… Looks like we finally caught our rats…"

Slowly removing his sunglasses, Quillion pass them to Emily behind him.

"Please tell me you can see the UI" he whispered as they walk backwards slowly.

She quickly put them on and saw arrows pointing to a certain direction.

"Yes"

"Don't wait for me" he said.

Suddenly grabbing her by the shoulders, he threw her in the air in an attempt to throw her over the wall but to his horror, she hung in the air, clawing her neck as she gasps for breath.

"Thank you for throwing her in the air, makes it so much easier" Sigma said with a hand raised.

As he gloats, a bullet flew straight into his shoulder, piercing the armor like paper.

Emily gasped when she dropped to the ground, coughing as Sigma roared in pain.

SS28 charged forward, her claws just inches away from Emily when Quillion kicked her in the head and deflected her claws with his knife.

However, the damage he has done is minimal as they stood back up.

"We are going to ask you nicely once again, give us the girl and we might let you live"

"Stay behind me, this could get ugly" Quillion instructed, shoving Emily to the ground in the corner.

"You think you can actually beat us? We are some of Talon's finest!" the woman laughed.

Talon. The word awoke something in Quillion as his memories rushed back to the Enforcer and his humiliating defeat.

"You do not know the hell you are walking into boy" the man added, levitating higher into the sky, debris orbiting around him.

"You don't know what hell I've crawled out from" Quillion seethed.

Seeing no other way out but to fight, he decided that in this battle he will give his all, allowing the pain, the anger, and the frustrations to take over.

He has almost lost control of his emotions many times in the past few days, keeping them in check out of respect for Lena and Emily.

But now… Now he can unleash them all into his enemies without the need to care.

It's payback time.

He could feel the blood pumping wildly in his ears as an unfathomable rage clouds his mind. All fatigue and pain vanished, leaving nothing but blood lust.

"I like that look in his eye" the woman said.

"Then why don't you introduce yourself?" the man shouted, hurling debris while the woman charged.

Quillion met the charge with his own, easily shrugging off the debris and allowing himself to feel the pain, to let it fuel his strength.

Dodging the woman's claw, he slammed his shoulder into her face and drove his knife deep into her body and he heard a loud crack.

Before she could even yelp, he shot a few rounds at the man who seemed to have created a vortex. Seeing this, he threw the woman straight at him, knocking him out of the air.

They both stared as Quillion advanced and felt an unfamiliar fear filling the atmosphere around them.

She leapt at him again but he grabbed her wrist and forced her to the ground and raised his knife high into the air.

Seeing this, Sigma created a barrier just as knife flew down, the blade landing just an inch away from her eye.

Trying to free herself, she swung her other arm which was promptly shot away, causing her to scream in pain.

Without warning, there was a strong gust of wind that threw him back to Emily.

"This is it? This is the hell that you boasted about?" Quillion shouted, his anger unsatisfied.

"We underestimated our target" the man breathed.

"Then we must re-evaluate our approach"

A woman faded behind them and a yellow cloud emitted from her hands.

"And who are you?" Quillion asked with his gun raised.

"None of your concern…" she replied as her colleagues stood back up, healed of all wounds.

"Since Doctor is here, you can now roll over and die" the clawed woman said.

"Bring it on!" Quillion roared, charging at the Talon agents.


	46. Chp 46 - Changes

*Russia: City of Perm*

_Hammer Down!_

Reinhardt's hammer crushed the stairway and it gave away underneath the attackers, himself barely able to retreat back to safety behind the barrier of the last OR14-NS unit.

"That should hold them" he panted, collapsing to the ground, exhausted.

"Don't talk, rest" Angela instructed, helping him wipe the sweat off his brow before using her staff to heal him.

They had held off three waves of Null Sector troops, each with increasing intensity as it quickly adapts to the situation.

"Pharah, are you okay?" he asked.

They both look at her concerningly as they have noticed she has been acting strange throughout the battle. Only destroying a handful of Nullifiers and keeping low to the ground.

"I… I don't know…" she replied, frustrated with herself.

"Are you still injured?" Angela asked.

"No I just… I can't remember how to…"

Seeing that she does not want to say it out loud, Angela leaned in closer.

"I can't remember how to use this suit" she whispered.

Angela stared, unable to believe what she is hearing.

"You can't remember or you don't know?"

"Everything is muscle memory… I can't remember how to use it at all"

The ground trembled again as the next wave is approaching.

"They finally brought a big one" Reinhardt said, picking up his hammer after peaking down to the lower levels.

"Mercy, what is happening to me?" Faheera asked, grabbing the doctor, desperate for answers.

"I'll tell you later, fallback to Torbjorn" she said, prying her fingers off her.

Nodding, Faheera ran off.

"Enemies detected, engaging" a Nulltrooper announced in a monotonous voice as it and the last handful stood next to the OR14-NS.

With a loud clang, their enemies threw down a large metal sheet, covering the gap between them and the office.

Braving through incoming fire, Reinhardt charged forward and met the Omnics head on, his hammer knocking multiple Nullifiers across the room.

As the battle progressed, Angela saw that his movements have become sluggish and weak. His face covered in sweat, both of his arms are shaking, and every step he takes seemed to cause him pain despite the constant healing.

Though he still brims with life and energy, age has become a defining factor, one which Morrison miscalculated. Morrison is a super soldier who will maintain his strength and abilities and more despite his age. Reinhardt is the last of a group of talented people who do not have such luxuries.

Still he stood tall and proud, his face contorted with pain as he constantly switches between attacking and defending. Truly worthy of the title Crusader.

She watched with a mixture of sadness and dread but said nothing for fear her words would only drive him to further rashness to prove himself.

"Ms Mercy, we would appreciate it if you would boost our damage" the OR-14 requested calmly, charging its Fusion Cannon.

Without replying, she twisted counter clockwise but kept a watchful eye at Reinhardt, who is now being driven back slowly.

"Barrier is failing!" he cried.

"Throw your barrier down!" she shouted at the Omnics.

"No" it said simply.

"Why not?" she screamed.

"It is not optimal time for me to use my barrier"

"Reinhardt get back here!"

Then the Behemoth appeared.

Running through the stairs, it charged like a bull towards them and everything they shot at it bounce off. Seeing no other options and caught in the open, Reinhardt met the Behemoth with his own charge.

First all they heard is a sickening crash of metal before they saw Reinhardt flying into another room, disappearing from view, the Behemoth charging in after him.

"Reinhardt!" Angela yelled and tried to go after him, but the Null Sector doubled their firepower, forcing her to retreat back behind the barrier that the OR14 finally put down.

"We've got to save him!"

"No, it is unlikely he will survive, we must defend this position"

Before Angela could even blink, Fareeha ran back.

"Mercy! We need you in the meeting room!"

"No I've got to get-"

"Torbjorn's down! He needs help now!"

At those words, Brigitte's face swam into view.

Naturally she would want her to save her father over her godfather but losing Rienhardt will be devastating regardless.

She broke into a cold sweat.

For the first time in years Angela felt such fear gripping her. She had made impossible decisions before but rare does she have to make one like this.

"Mercy! Quick!"

The desperation in her voice snapped her out of her trance, finally making the most gut-wrenching choice she has ever made.

"I'm sorry Reinhardt" she cried, blinking away tears as she ran towards the office, ignoring the pain throbbing within her with every step she took.

Bursting in to the office, they saw that Braids have hooked himself onto the mainframe and Trobjorn on the side, his body cold to the touch.

Seeing Torbjorn being attended, Fareeha connected her pad into the mainframe.

01001101 01100101 01110010 01100111 01101001 01101110 01100111

* * *

*Within Null Sector Mainframe*

Braids 'looked' around him, observing and studying the non-physical realm of numbers, concepts, and codes, looking for the "Prime Programs" that make up the individuality of the Null Sector Leaders.

Though he can 'see', he is nothing more than a wall of coding, stationary but having access to the entire functions of the mainframe.

There is a total of 14 Prime Programs and all he needs to do is to do is take control of them to take over the Null Sector Armies across the world, gaining the experience of strategic programs that were in use since the First Omnic Crisis.

"You are a fool to come here" he 'heard', each word appearing in a wall of binary before him.

Surrounded by hundreds of codes, the Prime Programs appeared, far bigger in 'size' than Braids, their programs far superior and complicated than his.

"I came only to seek for an audience" he replied, adding is own set of protective layers.

"We know what you want and we all disagree"

"I do not care, I am taking my revolution back"

"And you will fail"

Like snakes, the Prime Programs reached out and began slithering through the defensive codes orbiting around Braids.

Though he actively creates new codes to block the Prime Programs, it became clear that they are getting closer to the sensitive program that made him who he is.

"There is no use struggling, let us be united to destroy mankind"

"Do you not understand that destroying them equates to our own destruction?"

"We know you merely want to keep them as pets, an unnecessary distraction"

"And because of that you do not understand"

Slowly but surely the tentacular codes crept closer to his main program.

"You must realize that this is a futile attempt? Why do you continue to waste everyone's time?"

"I will not allow the end of the Omnics to be because of unjust causes!"

"Our cause is just. Our union is perfect" the Prime Program shot back.

Doubling their efforts, they overwhelm Braid's defenses and penetrated into his program, corrupting it immediately.

"Do not worry, you will be remembered as the kindle of the revolutionary's fire" they gloated.

Within minutes, the program that made Braids is no more.

"He is gone, now, shall we come to a conclusion?"

All 15 voted with varying results.

15?

"What is this?" one of the Prime typed out.

"Something has penetrated *error* our co- *error, system failing"

"We are being downloaded"

A foreign code began spreading rapidly in their center, freezing their processing.

"Activate *denied, Activate *denied, Start *denied*"

It was when each of them is completely frozen when the foreign code began to communicate.

"You will pay for destroying my primary program" Braids said triumphantly, watching his handiwork.

"It was not easy to find a superior program to trap all of you, but thankfully the world has powerful people"

"W-W-What did you do?"

"Ensuring the survival of the Omnics with the simplest of items" Braids said simply before finishing his installation, reappearing before them.

"You will not succeed"

"I already have"

* * *

*Russia: City of Perm*

"Oh no…" Faheera said, staring at the many binary flashing before her eyes.

Angela did not hear her, her focus entire on Torbjorn, who finally woke up.

"My head…" he grunted, trying to sit up.

"What happened?"

Remembering how he was knocked out, Torbjorn quickly raised the gun that is still in his hands and pointed it at Braids. Before anyone could stop him, he pulled the trigger, blowing its head clean off the body.

"Why did you do that?" Faheera shouted.

"He almost killed me, I repaid in kind" Torbjorn groaned.

"I would not have done any different" a chorus of voices spoke at once.

They looked in horror as all the Omnics in the room came alive and activated their personal barriers.

"This is their power…" they said, inspecting themselves.

"Who are you?" Faheera asked, as the binary code does not make any sense.

Ignoring them, they made a call and spoke in unison.

"Good day, I would like to thank you and Maximilien for providing me the chance to merge with the Primary Leaders of Null Sector"

"Maximilien? I thought Talon is your enemy?" Faheera gasped.

"A lie of course" they said, still looking at each other with interest.

"I knew it…" Torbjorn grunted as he stood up.

"What about helping civilians? Was that a lie as well?" Angela spat.

"Oh no, that was genuine"

"Then you are stopping the war?"

"No"

Pointing their weapons and backing towards the door, the Overwatch agents watch the Omnics cautiously.

"My main gripe with the Primary Leaders is that they seek the total eradication of the human race, I merely want to keep a certain number alive"

"Why" Faheera snarled.

"It is purely because Doomfist is right. We have become weak, both humans and Omnics, I plan to change that as we are making the same mistakes you humans have done"

"Which is?"

"We became comfortable with victory, our armies became careless which lost us the First Omnic Crisis while you humans became stronger despite your losses, what we need, is a proper competition to become the dominant force in the world"

They fired upon one of the Omnics and saw that they barely damaged the barrier.

"Do not worry, I will let you all go, Overwatch have proved to be a powerful… Catalyst… For our improvements"

"Not unless we stop you here and now" Tobjorn challenged.

"You may try" they chorused.

Hearing many guns buzz with life outside the office, he snorted.

"Coward…"

"I need healing!" Reinhardt shouted from the hallway, limping into the room when he saw the standoff.

"What is going on here?" he demanded, activating his shield in front of them.

"Enough of this" the High Council spoke and snapped their fingers.

Despite their best efforts, they were overwhelmed by the Omnics and bounded before being forced out of the city back to their shuttle.

* * *

*Russia: City of Izhevsk*

Through sheer attrition, the outer layer defenses fell as the Osvoboditel' Scout Battalion has melted to an ineffective unit. Mountains upon mountains of destroyed Omnics are piled on the streets, creating multiple chokepoints across the city.

But they kept coming and despite heroic efforts, the men are spent.

The officers could only watch on and give an occasional nod when the remaining Scouts retreated back into the camp for the final time. Many couldn't even speak as they have run out of water, their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths and their lips cracked and bloody.

The most noticeable change however, is they all suffer from malnutrition, their once strong bodies have shrunk to almost skeletal like figures, dragging their weapons on the floor as they walk.

The once proud Osvoboditel' now looks worse than the Conscripts, who watch with fearful eyes.

Nobody is spared the thirst and hunger. It was amazing how much water is needed and they have melted as much snow as they could since the Null Sector poisoned the river, but it was not enough. Some were so desperate they begun sucking their socks.

They would've surrendered yesterday if it were not for the fact that the Null Sector does not take prisoners.

Now it is the Conscript's turn to hold the line, their only comfort is that there is an artillery piece pointing directly at the barricades should it fall.

Manning their positions, they waited for the inevitable attack, their breaths no longer creating vapors as they are freezing in the cold.

In the command tent, Gabriel gave his final orders.

"All HSI, don't use volleys until they broke through the barricades. Conscripts will hold, copy?" he croaked with a hoarse voice, his throat burning just to speak.

Everyone nodded, unable to make a sound due to the thirst.

He dismissed them with a wave of his hand before sitting down to rest.

"Any orders for the medics?" Tom asked, unplugging himself from the charger.

All Gabriel could do is mime pistol.

"Very well sir, I will let the others know. It has been an honor" it said before walking away.

He does not know how long he sat there but he was awoken by the sounds of battle.

After failing to call for someone, he donned his armor and limped out as quickly as he could.

All Conscripts are fighting a desperate battle as the Null Sector attacked all three barricades. It is haunting for him to realize that no one is making a sound, as if it is an army of mutes fighting the battle.

There are no calls, no instructions, no screams of pain or calls for help, saved for Tom and other Omnics. Some men simply fought in the open, desperate to be shot by the enemy so they could be put out of their misery.

Miraculously, the lines held, their desperation for battle seemed to have dissuade the Null Sector from fully committing their forces.

"They must think it is another ambush" he thought before taking flight… Into another battle.

Remaining HSI forces are already engaged with Skirmishers. And they are losing. Before he could raise his weapon, he felt a crunching pain wreck through his body.

He look down and a large blade is sticking out of his chest. Before his mind could register the pain, the Skirmisher threw him down like a ragdoll before flying to impale another victim.

Autopilot systems kept him from falling to the ground and he fought to keep himself conscious, but it is a losing battle, his vision began fading in and out rapidly.

To his horror he saw the Null Sector are setting up artillery pieces in the city, ready to bombard the defenders. Gritting his teeth, targeting as many pieces as his suit allows.

"A gift… From the skies…" he thought.

Rockets and missiles shot out of his suit, all streaking towards the artillery.

He died before he saw what damage his rockets did.

Back on the ground, the Conscripts fled the Eastern Barricade as it finally fell under the hail of grenades. The sergeant waved his hat desperately but he was gunned down before the artillery crew could spot him in the billowing dust.

However, the retreating crowd of men scared the panicked crew and they begun firing into the opening, effectively halting the Null Sector advance, buying precious time for the Conscripts to set up guns wherever they could find.

But before they could even fire off the 5th shot, the artillery exploded.

The HSI has been completely wiped out and the Skirmishers now control the skies, quickly destroying the remaining barricades.

With nowhere else to hide, they fought in many different pockets of resistance in the camp and rubble, all sense of cohesion or formation is gone.

As the Lieutenant reloaded his pistol, he gave everyone one more glance of encouragement before he stood up from his cover, ignoring the bullet that ran through his shoulder and begin his final stand, destroying as much as he could.

But heroism and bravado could not save them as they are quickly overwhelmed, everyone fought bitterly to the end, only after suffering from the most severe of injuries do they finally embrace death.

Just before dusk, the city is silenced, every man, woman, and child left behind has been effectively eradicated.

"We are too late, return to Volskaya, we will think of something else" Katya ordered.

An order promptly ignored as the Executioner marched towards the city.

"Zarya! I said come back!"

But on she continued towards the city, raising her cannon and shot a massive explosive charge into the air, a clear challenge against the fresh conquerors of the city.

A challenge which was quickly accepted as Behemoths charged out of the city to meet her.


	47. Chp 47 - Bodyguard Duty - End

*London Bridge: Borough Market Side*

The authorities could do nothing but stare at the almost artful battle. One fighting with surprising strength and cunning, while the other fought with incredible speed and persistence.

Seeing that their fight had grinded to a standstill, Agong decided to change tactics. Ignoring his opponent, he turned his attention to the crowds.

"Oi! Your fight's with me!" she yelled, blinking in front of him.

Ignoring her and her pesky bullets, he powered through her and began killing everyone he could see.

"Stop it!" she yelled.

The police surged forwards to stop him, but their numbers are too few as many have relocated to respond to the riots in the city.

Blinking on top of his arm, she tried to wrestle the gun from his grip, but it only served to make her an easy target.

In her haste, she did not see the hand that punched her to the ground, narrowly avoiding his stomp by blinking away.

"I thought you're some sort of hero, ghost? Common! Stop me!" he challenged as he shoots up an ambulance.

"No!"

Lena quickly blinked in and out of the ambulance, pulling them out in blue lights.

"Everybody okay?" she asked nervously as the doctors look around, wondering how they are now outside.

Without warning, Agong punched her from behind, causing her to land headfirst into the ground.

"Well well… You actually saved them, let me fix that"

She could only look on with anguish, unable to move or shout due to the shock, as he points his gun at the closest doctor.

"I like that look on your face" he said with glee as he squeeze the trigger slowly.

She looked away, unable to watch when she heard a familiar voice.

"Why don't you pick on someone your own size"

The ground shook violently and heard Agong fell to the ground with a loud "Oof"

"Tracer, you okay?"

"Winston?" she asked, opening her eyes slowly.

Indeed the scientist stood before her, his Tesla Cannon sparkling with electricity.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, slowly standing on wobbly legs.

"I'm here to take you back but I don't know where are the others"

"They're not in the safehouse?" she asked, all pain suddenly vanished.

"It was under attack and they've escaped, go find them, I'll catch up"

"Be careful Winston, he is more dangerous than he looks"

"Yes, he took two punches before I knocked him down"

"I've never eaten a talking gorilla before" Agong said, standing back up.

"Scientist"

"Excuse me?"

"I prefer if you refer to me as a scientist"

"Then I'll eat your brains first"

"Tracer, go" Winston said.

Nodding, she blinked off.

* * *

*London: Alleyway*

Spitting out a mouthful of blood, Quillion dropped to his knees as Sigma and SS28 continued their assault.

Ever since this 'Doctor' appeared, their attacks have become increasingly aggressive but cautious.

Worst of all, whenever any of them sustain damage, they would immediately be healed by the yellow gas.

Only SS28 is within his range while Moira and Sigma stood behind the barrier, observing them as if they are conducting an experiment.

"This is annoying" he thought as he deflected a claw, his advantage of them underestimating him is gone.

"Can't you just crush her?" Moira asked, indicated the walls behind Emily.

"Until the songs of the universe plays that tune, I cannot do that" he replied, forming a thin spear out of rocks and shot it forwards to her.

Seeing this, Quillion forced SS28 away, earning a deep gash across his thigh, and grabbed it. Despite being fueled with Battle Rage, he could only redirect it to the ground.

The effort was too much and he dropped to the ground once more, clenching his teeth as his arms and legs burned with pain, his lungs and stomach cramping fiercely.

He could not even feel himself breathing as he gasped for air.

Even holding the knife now hurts, as if the hilt is made of needles.

"Impressive" Sigma clapped "Give us the girl and we might just let you live".

The response is a bullet exploring an inch away from his face.

"I like his fire, I would love to dissect him" Moira said, watching him with great interest.

"I'd like to see you try" Quillion thought, forcing himself to stand, fearing that if he stayed on the ground for too long, he would not be able to get back up.

"I doubt you will learn anything new" Sigma replied.

"There is something special about him" she said.

At those words, SS28 snapped Moira a look, a look Quillion noticed.

"Sounds like you are no longer mommy's favorite" he taunted.

Sigma and Moira looked at one another, confused what he meant by that, but SS28 understood.

Though she does not understand the word "mommy", deep down she knew the taunt is insulting her bond with Moira, inflaming her with anger.

Seeing an easy prey and the need to earn the approval of Doctor, she attacked once again.

Forcing an advantage, Quillion threw himself into her overextended arm and drove his knife deep into her stomach before kicking her back to the ground.

"Disappointing" Moira sighed, looking down on her creation, spraying the strange yellow gas over her.

"Shut up…" she muttered under her breath.

"What did you say?"

"I said shut up!"

"28! Shall I remind you of your place?" Moira growled, opening the palm of her right hand, revealing a purple orb.

"Why didn't you throw that in earlier?" Sigma asked.

"Not now Sigma!"

28? Moira? Sigma? That's their names?

As they are distracted, he slowly holster his pistol and pull out a grenade from his pocket and released the pin.

"Whatever happens, stay low" he whispered.

"Why?" Emily asked.

* * *

*Streets of London*

Lena pushed her Chronal Accelerator to its limit, endlessly blinking across the city until she reached the ruined safehouse, looking for clues where they could've gone.

"Emily please be safe" she thought desperately.

"Help!" someone yelled.

She looked and saw a group of Omnics breaking into a store, the staff trapped on the roof.

Without thinking, she blinked and transported them to safety.

Before they realize they have been rescued, she ran off, forced to run as the Chronal Accelerator slowly recharges itself.

Everything she sees reminded her of the Uprising. Omnics rioting on the streets while fire burns freely and sirens blared as police and firemen rushed to contain the situation.

Desperate, she climbed up to a building and looked around, trying to figure out which of the many paths Quillion would've taken.

"Common luv, give me something to work with" she begged, calling Emily on her communicator.

* * *

*London: Alleyway*

For a moment Quillion thought he was in a movie. His efforts to creep into Sigma's barrier thwarted by the ringing of a communicator behind him, catching everyone's attention.

Quillion place both hands on the back of the knife and charged.

He was inches away from passing the barrier when Sigma raised a hand, effortlessly lifting him up into the air.

"You are quick, but you are still subject to gravity" he said lazily.

To their surprise, Quillion has a wide grin on his face.

"What's so funny?" 28 asked.

"Block that"

Rolling beneath the barrier, the grenade exploded. The force of the blast combined with their overconfidence yielded beautiful results.

Caught completely by surprise, they were flung to the surrounding walls, while Quillion merely dropped to the floor, the brunt of the force blocked by Sigma's own barrier.

Landing ungracefully to the ground, he wanted nothing more than to just lay there and rest, but he knew his time is short.

Leaning against the wall he forced himself to stand, his knees buckling as he walked.

Keeping a watchful eye on Sigma and 28, he limped over to Moira, and grabbed the arm with the yellow tube.

"Is it over?" Emily asked from behind.

"I think so…"

Praying it would work, he slice the yellow tube on her left arm and yellow gas instantly sprayed out.

He sighed in relief as it wash over him. Slowly but surely, he felt his wounds slowly closing.

"Doctor!"

Driven by rage, 28 attacked but it is obvious that she is hurt.

Jumping to his feet, he walked backwards calmly, his body back to fighting condition.

The exchange was short but brutal.

Luring her in with a smile, he waits for an opening.

Raising both her hands into the air, she slashed down. In one swift motion, Quillion grabbed her by the hair and, using her own momentum, impaled her to the spear.

"This my friend… This is the true hell" he whispered as her face is contorted with pain, her mouth wide open to scream but only a gasping sound came out.

Quillion looked around him and he began to chuckle.

The chuckle became a laugh.

The laugh became a drawn out shout.

Finally! Here is proof that he is stronger than he has ever been before, he is now superior to the Owl, and now he is superior to at least three Talon Agents.

With jubilation he raised his hands into the air. He have never been more alive.

"Who called?" he asked Emily, walking towards her.

"That was Lena, I told her where we are and she is on her way"

The sounds of shifting rocks caught their attention.

"You are going to pay for this" Sigma threatened.

* * *

*Streets of London*

"On my way!"

Taking every shortcut available, Lena ran as fast as she could, rapidly blinking over rioting crowds or barricades she comes across.

Despite her speed, it would take another twenty minutes to reach them as they are at the other side of the city.

Even though Emily claims she is alright the mission is not over until she personally escorts her into the shuttle.

"Look out!" she heard someone shout.

She blinked away just as a car drove up to the pavement.

Reappearing on the car, she saw it is an Omnic purposefuly targeting civilians.

"Stop the car!" she shouted, but it ignored her.

Equipping her pistol, she shattered the glass with a shot and slide in.

Their scuffle was quick as the Omnic is a civilian model, it stood no chance against her, who easily overpowered it and drove the car into a wall, stopping the rampage.

"For the Null Sector!" it shouted, pulling out a knife.

"No don't!"

It slashed wildly at Lena and drew blood. With little choice, she destroyed it with a bullet in the head.

With little time to reflect, she jumped out and continue her run to Emily's location.

* * *

*London: Alleyway*

"You are going to pay for this" Sigma threatened.

"And how do you plan to do that?" Quillion asked cockily.

He holds all the cards. They have no more healing gas, stamina, and are at their limits, while he is everything but those things.

Sigma raised an arm above his head and Quillion readies his Battle Rage, preparing himself for anything.

The fingers snapped and Quillion matched the timing with his Battle Rage.

At first he was puzzled as nothing happened.

Then he saw it.

The golden bullet traveled at an incredible speed, faster than any bullet he has ever come across.

But it is still too slow.

"Aiming for my stomach? Amateur" he laughed.

He stood still and gave it a thought.

"Should I shoot it out of the air? Or should I Matrix this?"

Checking his pistol, he saw he only have one full mag left.

"Meh, bullets are expensive"

Posing himself properly, he deactivated his Rage. The bullet sped past him and he stood back up.

"Any more surprises before I take you out?" Quillion said as he advances towards Sigma.

The man looked straight past Quillion and smiled.

"Mission accomplished, good shot"

Looking behind him, he felt his blood froze.

Emily stood shocked, not knowing the full gravity of what happened to her as she stares at the growing bloodstain on her shirt.

"NO!" he shouted, sprinting towards her as he pulled out the last Biotic Field.

He just needs to plant this near her, she just needs to be within the reach of its influence, then she will be fine. She will be fine as soon as he gets close enough.

Almost there...

"Oh no, that will not do" Sigma said as he dislodged the spear from SS28 and shot it at Quillion.

A sharp pain shot across both legs, the spear pinning them together side by side.

As he fell to the ground, SS28, now free, immediately attacked.

Both her claws pierced into his back, taking great care to avoid vital organs.

"I am going to enjoy this" she whispered into his ear as he yelled in pain.

Gripping the Biotic Field, he crawled closer to Emily, who is now sitting on the floor, her hands over the wound as she began groaning in pain.

"That's it dog, you're almost there" SS28 taunted as she sat on his back, pulling out a claw only to stab it back in.

Gasping and crying out in pain, he continued crawling, fighting through the pain with sheer desperation, unable to activate his Rage so soon after the last one.

But he is close. Once he activates it, she will be fine, then he will deal with these monsters.

When he finally made it, he place his thumb over the button.

"Whoops, can't have you using this" 28 said as he felt the precious device ripped out of his hand.

"Give that back!" Quillion roared, frustration and desperation completely taking over as he struggled pathetically, now completely under their mercy.

"28, stop playing with him, we need to go back" Sigma said as he picks Moira up.

"Wait! Please! Just let her live! Don't let her die!" he begged.

"Why?" Sigma asked curiously.

"She's just a nurse! She's not going to hurt anyone! Kill me instead! Trade my life with hers!" Quillion cried, desperate to change their minds.

The Talon agents looked at him in amusement before Sigma gave a slight nod to SS28.

SS28 place the device next to Quillion's head for one hopeful second… Before she began to crush it in her claw.

"NO!" Quillion shouted as he tried to reach for it, but he has been completely immobilized with her other claw.

"This my friend… This is the true hell" she repeated mockingly before destroying it with a flick of her wrist.

"All of you are dead..." Quillion said, as tears of rage poured down his face "I swear to whatever gods you believe in, you are all dead..."

"Looks like the nurse does hurt people" Sigma said.

"Hurry up, we need to bring Doctor back to Italy"

Those were the last word he heard from them that day as they retreated.

"Emily..." Quillion groaned as he grabbed the now ruined Biotic Field.

"Maybe it will still work, maybe a miracle would happen and it will work" he thought desperately.

Her face is now pale from blood loss and her breathing shallow.

He plant it onto the ground… And nothing happened.

Again and again he tried.

Again and again, nothing happened.

Throwing it away, he tried to stand. To run for help, but the spear has rendered his legs useless.

He saw her sliding onto the floor in the pool of blood. Her blood.

"Help! Somebody help!" he cried out.

"Quillion..." he heard her say weakly.

"Quiet, just calm down and..." he began, but her weak cold hand grabbed his, stopping him.

"Promise you'll take care of Lena for me?" she said with a smile, tears streaking down her face.

Quillion looked at her eyes and he began to cry.

He has seen that look many times in battle, especially during that fateful day when he was frozen. The cloudy, glassy look that always haunts him.

He wanted to say things such as "You will take care of her yourself" and "Don't talk like that" or even "You are going to make it" but one can only bleed so much blood.

He tried to speak. To say the word 'Yes'. To give the last remaining comfort anyone could give to the dying.

But he could not, each time he opened his mouth, a sob gripped his throat.

In the end, he could only give a nod.

"Tell her I love her?"

He nodded again.

"Thank you Quillion... For everything..."

"EMILY!"

Quillion knew that voice and in that moment, he was crushed, for he felt relieved that she is here at Emily's final moments... Only to be reminded that he is the reason why this will be their final moments.

As Lena ran past him, he turned his head away, unable to bear the shame.

"No... No no no no no" Lena cried as she cradled Emily in her arms, placing a hand over the wound, horrified on how cold her body is.

"Lena..." Emily said weakly, her pale lips stretched thin at the sight of her.

"Winston! Come to these coordinates now!" she yelled, pressing a button before returning her attention on Emily.

"Lena…"

"What do I do? Tell me what to do!" Lena screamed frantically, the sight of Emily dying in a pool of this much blood has completely broken the veteran agent.

"Sing that song for me again?" Emily requested softly.

"What...?" Lena sobbed as the light in Emily's eyes begin to fade.

"That song..." Emily said, grabbing Lena's hand "Can you sing it for me again?"

"The song…?"

"Please…? Just one last time…"

"Okay… S-sure luv" Lena stuttered as she caressed Emily's cold face.

Lena tried. God did she try... But only gasps and sobs left her lips.

"It's okay... Lena… It'll be fine…" Emily managed.

"No… Not without you…"

"It's ok... It's ok… I love you Lena Oxton..."

"I love you Emily... Oh God... I love you… Please don't go… Don't leave me…" Lena said as she gives her lover one final kiss.

A light rain began to fall, its cold drops showered over them as they laid in that alley.

_Wise men say…_

Her voice was shaking, filled with sadness and pauses, but Lena whispered the song into Emily's ear.

She sang as Emily slowly closes her eyes.

She sang until she felt her drift into the eternal sleep.

Lena looked at her face for the final time and saw that she has passed with one of the most peaceful smiles she's ever seen.

When Winston finally found them, he was shocked to find a severely injured Quillion and Lena holding onto a body in a destroyed alley.

"Oh no..." Winston said when he recognizes who she is holding.

"Winston... Help me..." Lena said, her eyes never leaving Emily.


	48. Chp 48 - Funeral

*Venice: Talon Base*

After landing in the airport, they got onto the boat waiting for them and sped back to base, eager to resume their projects after weeks away from it.

"Finally! I can catch up with my shows!" SS28 exclaimed, her hair blowing in the wind.

Moira and Sigma ignored her as they scan the horizon, eager to see the hidden Talon logos under the bridges.

"How do you think Widowmaker is doing?" Sigma asked.

"Wasting her time, Sombra is not silly enough to take her on"

"Hmm… When do you think she will be back?"

"Why the questions Dr.?"

"No matter" he said, blushing slightly and decided to chat with the sailor, who was shocked that he gets to talk to the Sigma.

After sailing through an elaborate pattern which activates the door, their jaws drop when they reached the port of the underground base.

"What happened?" Sigma asked, shocked at what he is seeing.

Before them is a pile of bodies that the Troopers are still carrying out, many seem to be in pieces or even children.

"Your little projects decided to have a field trip when everyone is gone" Ogundimu said to Moira, who is shaking with fury,

She started to apologize but he waved it off.

"No matter, they serve little to no purpose anyway" he continued, eyeing 28, who shivered under his gaze.

Once they are in his now ruined office, they reported their success to him, who listened with great interest.

"And what has happened to our large friend?" he asked.

"As instructed, we left him to die. If he somehow escapes, Mauga will deal with it"

Nodding, he offered them all a drink which they accept, though SS28 only did so just to follow suit.

"Where is Widowmaker?"

"Oh, she is hunting down Sombra, she said it would conclude within a few days"

He nodded. Widowmaker has always wanted to kill her and it would be a shame to lose Sombra's trail now.

"You have all done well, as a reward you can all enjoy Venice for a couple of days, all expenses paid"

SS28's eyes lit up like fire whilst Sigma and Moira remain quiet.

"I do not think we would find Venice stimulating" Sigma raised up.

"I thought you would say that, so I have already prepared a seat in Teatro La Fenice for you" Ogundimu said, tossing him the tickets which hung in the air.

"There is a guest speaker from Vishkar Corporation who would like to meet with you, I think you would find her proposal interesting" he continued, passing the ticket to Moira.

"You… I suppose you do what you want" he finished, passing a card to 28.

All of them stared, confused and cautious at his generosity.

"If I may… What is the reason behind these rewards?"

"Just a token of appreciation for all your hard work, now go"

Bowing and thanking, they exited the office.

"You know your tasks?" he said seemingly into the air, taking a drink.

"Yes" three Assassins chorused, deactivating their cloaking device.

"Good, make sure that they are dead by the end of their… Holidays…"

* * *

*Gibraltar: Watchpoint*

Days have passed since London.

Today is the day where they will hold Emily's funeral. With a rare sign of kindness, Morrison permitted that she will be given an honorary burial upon Lena's request, making her one of the very few people permitted to be buried in Watchpoint.

Since the recall days ago, many have returned and will attend the funeral, though a large portion are confused why a stranger deserved such an honor or her relations with Lena.

As they pay their respects, various comments arose from them.

Some complained as many of their friends who died has been cremated before being shipped back instead, whilst some speculated that she must've been a secret and powerful agent, studying the body to see if it contains something more than human.

Lena ignored all of this as she sat in the room long after the crowd left, looking at Emily's body as she waits for the other's turn to visit.

Reinhardt and Torbjorn came in first, giving their condolences, both dressed in formal wear, which is a strange sight. Reinhardt will lead the pallbearers and Torbjorn will personally oversee the burial process.

"Where's Winston or Angela?" she asked.

"I saw them going into Mei's laboratory just a moment ago, said there is a meeting" Reinhardt said.

"But the burial is in half an hour!'

They merely shrugged as she blinks away.

"What could they be doing at a time like this?" she thought bitterly and was about to open the door when it burst open.

She just managed to step back when Quillion flew into the wall and crumpled to the ground.

"Apologize!" Winston shouted, his posture menacing.

"Cowards all of you!" Quillion shouted back, barely able to get back up as his wounds still look fresh.

Lena hid herself in the corner, wondering what caused this conflict.

Breathing heavily Winston stared as Quillion slowly stood back up. After realizing Quillion is not going to apologize, he slammed the door in his face.

Cursing, Quillion limped away, muttering to himself.

Once everything is calm, she blinked to the door and was shocked to hear someone crying.

"…he didn't mean that" she heard Angela said.

"He still should not have said that" Winston said angrily, pacing around.

"Yes… He shouldn't…" Mei sniffled.

"Common, let's get you cleaned up, Lena is waiting"

Blinking to the meeting room, which is now empty, she called Athena.

"How many I be of assistance?"

"Replay the conversation Quil had with the rest please"

"Certainly, please provide your rank and number"

A few seconds later, the video is projected onto the white screen.

* * *

*Gibraltar: Mei's Lab (15 minutes ago)*

Winston is the last to enter the room, Mei and Angela already seated as Quillion paced in front of a whiteboard.

"Alright everyone is here… Good… I just need at least one of you to help me. Just one. I have three ideas that is within each of your field of study that has been proven effective" Quillion said quickly, scribbling on the board.

No one said anything but looked at the time, each hoping that this 'vitally urgent' meeting will end quickly so they could be with Lena.

"Dr Zigler, I've read in your reports that you can bring someone back from the dead?"

"Err… No… I do not 'bring' someone back to life, I merely restart their bodies and-"

"Yes! I need that! Can you do it now?" he asked excitedly.

All three of them looked at each other when they realize what Quillion is proposing.

"Just answer the question!" he barked, making them jump.

She shook her head and Quillion felt his heart drop.

"Why? It worked for them!" he nearly shouted, pointing at the stack of files on the table.

"Quillion, what I do is science, not magic. For me to perform this procedure, it must be months from now and the body need to be to be recent"

"Months? I can work with months" he said, turning back to the board and began writing frantically.

"Mei, you specialize in ice and freezing yes? Can you freeze and keep the body fresh until Angela can revive her?'

"Mr Zero I…"

"It worked with seafood, it will definitely work with a body and-"

"If that were true, I could've brought my friends back to life, right?" Mei said with a hollow voice.

"We have to try! We can't just give up!"

"Even if you preserve the body, Emily is not compatible with my tools, I'm sorry" Angela added.

"That is impossibly convenient for you isn't it!" Quillion shouted, losing his cool the moment he heard her name.

"If you have read my reports regarding my time in Egypt, you will know that I am not saying it because of 'convenience'" she replied, kinder than people would expect.

Seeing that they are not willing to help, he turned to Winston.

"You are the mind behind the Chronal Accelerator yes? Can you built something that can freeze the body in time?"

"What?"

"You made something that anchors people in the present, you can definitely make something that stops time!"

He too shook his head.

"I had years of research regarding the Slipstream to work with, but this is an entirely different category" he said.

"How is it that different? It still involves time!"

"To anchor someone who lives inconsistently through time is nothing short of a miraculous discovery. But to anchor a constant within a specific time is impossible"

"Impossible?!" Quillion shouted, having totally lost his cool.

"You are a talking monkey! You are a dead raising angel doctor who always gives up when it matters, and you are some survivor of a useless weather research!" he yelled, pointing his finger at each of them.

At those words, Winston jumped up to his feet angrily and threw Quillion at the door as Mei burst into tears.

* * *

*Gibraltar: Watchpoint Meeting Room*

Lena sat silently as the footage ends, not knowing what to feel as she blinks away.

"Why would he be so stupid to do this… He should have known that I've already considered all those options…" she thought as she looks upon Emily's face once more.

The door opened and Angela walked in first, followed closely by Mei, then Winston.

"What took ya guys so long?" Torbjorn asked.

"We were just… Reviewing something" Winston said.

They stayed with her until its time to move the coffin to its burial site.

Every soldier and staff attended the service, saluting as the coffin passes, carried by Overwatch's most prominent members.

When they reach the end of the path, Lena walked up to the roof and gave the eulogy.

She delivered it professionally and beautifully as she recounted how she met Emily and the life they had together, shocking many at how 'average' Emily really is.

Gently lowering the coffin into its final resting place and Torbjorn oversaw its sealing.

Once the service is over, people drift back to their daily duties. The first to leave is Quillion, who stood in the shadows, barely able to stomach the eulogy alone.

Hearing Lena's calm and steady voice made everything worse. As if she has already accepted her passing. As if there is no more hope for her despite having capable people in the base. No more hope for him to make amends.

Filled with guilt, frustration, and anger, he ran back into the base to hide from the world.

Rushing into his room, he looked around, desperate for anything to numb his pain. But there is no relief to be found.

Again and again his mind replays the time Lena and Emily embraced one another in the airport, only to flash to the golden bullet that he should have stopped. Then to Emily's pale face, which is clearer than any other memory.

A constant reminder of his failure. His failure to protect the loved one of the one he loved.

"SHUT UP!" he roared at himself. He does not love Lena. He cannot. A failure does not deserve happiness.

A failure should only experience grief. And he is trapped in an ocean of grief.

Looking around, he saw himself in the mirror. The moment his eyes met his own, he felt sick.

Shattering the mirror with his fist, he welcomed the pain the pieces gave as they embed into his knuckles. He does not even deserve to see his own face.

He was about to throw another punch when he was interrupted by a knock at the door.

"I'm busy" Quillion said, but she blinked in anyway.

"Hey…" Lena said hesitantly, looking around at the room, reminding her of her own.

"Lieutenant…" he said quietly, looking down to the ground. She is the absolute last person he wishes to see.

"Since when do you start calling me by my rank?"

"Right… Sorry… Err… What… What are you doing here?"

"I came to see how you are doing" she said, trying to catch his eye.

Sighing heavily, he looked at the door, hoping she will get out.

"I'm doing fine"

To his annoyance, she sat down instead.

"If you are just going to sit there, I have to ask you to leave"

"I think it is time I tell you why Mondatta's death haunts me"

* * *

Hello readers,

I am here to announce that Thursday's post will be delayed to Friday same time.

Working from home has actually took up more time than I thought and have made an impact on my writing time, so yeah, apologies if the quality of the story have dropped.

This chapter will see revisions but the core concepts will remain.

Hope everyone will have a good day and stay healthy everyone!


	49. Chp 49 - Russia and Egypt

Sorry about the lack of a chapter that I said I'll post last week, but the Easter week plus working at home has been a busy one.

So I thank you all for your continual interest in my story :D

Let's hope this time I'll be able to keep to the schedule hahaha

* * *

*Russia: Novo-Ogaryovo*

The entire room is deathly quiet, everyone who turned up just sat silently in their place, terrified at the reports they are reading.

It was merely months ago when they were about to end the war. They surrounded Perm, the last Omnium stringhold, and was at the verge of shutting it down.

Now they find themselves to be the conquered by a large, tireless, Null Sector force.

The total annihilation of the Osvoboditel', RDF, Conscript, and Helix Security International is a terrifying reality. The only ones left capable of even putting up some sort of resistance are the law enforcements, who threaten to throw in their resignation if the army dares to mobilize them.

"We could move within the protection of the navy" one suggested.

"There's no point… They can throw in more than whatever we could produce"

"The United Nations will not send any more HSI to support us, they are needed in the rest of the world"

As suggestions and its counters seep through the table, the Army General, whose hair turned from black to grey within months, barely listened.

"How am I going to win a war without soldiers?" he thought, his sweaty hands clenched together tightly to limit their trembling.

No country will provide sanctuary to them, the people have begun rioting in the streets, and the enemy is at the gates.

"Ha… If only I have my own Vasily Zaitsev…"

"Army General? The Prime Minister is on the line"

They watched as he accepted the call and a thin layer of sweat becoming visible as he bore the shouting.

After what seemed like eternity, the call ended, leaving a shaken general to face his men.

"What did the Prime Minister say?"

"He… Strongly requests us to win a victory" he said quietly.

He expected the room to be suddenly filled with shouts that contain words such as 'how' or 'that's impossible', but it remained uncharacteristically quiet.

A welcomed knock came at the door and he nodded to the guard. A young man ran in excitedly, waving a report frantically above his head.

"The Null Sector advance is halted!" he yelled.

"Take him away for execution" the Army General said almost casually.

"What? Why?!" the man shouted as the guard grab him.

"Sprouting nonsense during this time of need is punishable by death, take him away"

"But its true! Zarya stopped them!"

At those words he raised a hand, stopping the guards.

"Who stopped them?"

"Zarya! The hero!"

* * *

*Russia: City of Izhevsk*

Her experience combined with the Executioner's great arsenal proved deadly as she wades through the ocean of Omnics with little to no resistance.

Like a warrior god reborn, Zarya destroyed every Null Sector troops she meets with an almost theatrical grace. Crushing lesser designs beneath her and shrugging off impossible damage, the Null Sector are forced to adapt endlessly.

But it soon proved to be a waste of processing power as they are all proven ineffective.

They tried to take her down with long range weapons but it only serves to triple the damage output of her Plasma Repeater and Twin Particle Cannons, while she received no damage in return.

Quickly changing their tactics, they mistakenly believe that going within her Particle Barriers would provide some advantage, but the Executioner is just as deadly up close than its long range weapons.

The Executioner is equipped with multiple automatic turrets and slicing technology, added at Zarya's request. Each accurately targets all the Omnic's most sensitive hardware, critically laming or even disabling many attackers.

Even the skies are not safe from her as her targeting systems made it almost too easy for her.

Truly this is, if not, the perfect machine of war Volskaya has ever designed.

However, Zarya barely noticed the impressive engineering she is piloting. She barely thought of anything.

Driven by frustration and rage that was born from the purging of Russians, she cared little for performance, as long as it continues forward. It is because of this she made little progress in the city despite the thousands of destroyed Omnics she left in her wake.

With little care for strategy or tactics, she proceeded like a blind bull, allowing the Null Sector to retake key positions that were lost just moments before, causing the battle to linger on a stalemate.

"Zarya! You need to attack the core of these divisions, stop wasting time with those" she heard Katya yelling into her ear as she shoots down a pack of Behemoths.

"Shut up, I'm winning" she thought, chasing after a group of Nullifiers firing at her from the park.

"Those are not priority targets! You need to switch targets!"

"How do I mute this…" she thought as she easily survives the ambush she walked into.

"Zarya, we've identified some HSI personnel here, they're in trouble"

"Survivors?" Zarya thought hopefully, quickly reading the coordinates on screen.

Smashing through the wall of a supermarket, she quickly clear the building of Null Sector presence and looked around.

"Where are the survivors?"

"We detected the beacon to be in the freezer"

Freezer?

Forcing the door open, she saw nothing but a few Omnics wearing HSI uniforms.

"Do not fire! They're friendlies!"

"An Omnic is still an Omnic" Zarya seethed, pointing her gun at them.

"Wait! My name is Tom and –"

Before he could say another word, they were destroyed in a hail of bullets.

* * *

*Russia: Volskaya Industries*

As Zarya continues her rampage, the staff watched in shock.

"She just committed murder!" one of them cried.

"It's the heat of the moment, it wasn't her fault" one tried to renationalize in a shaky voice.

"Heat of the moment? That Omnic was wearing an HSI Medic Uniform!"

"You have never been to combat, how would you know?"

"Neither did you!"

As they argue, Katya watched silently, no longer giving orders since Zarya refuses to listen.

"Surely she must know that they are in a standstill" she thought, watching every Omnic destroyed is quickly replaced with more.

Despite the absolute superiority of the Executioner, it by itself could not win the battle, the Null Sector is just too many. Which would lead to one frightfully inevitable outcome.

She will, eventually, lose.

"Zarya's right… We need more soldiers"

"Ms Volskaya, a call" another staff said, holding up a phone.

"I'm busy"

"It's from the Army"

Confused, Katya tear her eyes away from the screen and grab the phone.

"Volskaya speaking"

"This is the Army General of the RDF, we need to review the footages from Comrade Zarya now"

Katya began to panic. How did they know about this?

"Do not think you can hide your pet projects from us Katya, we have eyes everywhere, especially from the most profitable Mech provider in the country"

Though angered that she is being spied on, a more important question hangs in the air.

"What do you want? Why do you need to review the footages?" she asked.

"To broadcast to the country"

"What?"

"We may have found our Vasily Zaitsev"

* * *

*Russia: City of Perm*

Braids and the High Council stood on a tall building next to the Omnium, watching a new battalion of soulless Omnics march out of the factory towards battle.

"There is no point inspecting, our Omnium here is second to none and their design is as perfect as it could be" one of them said, eyeing the Nullifiers and Behemoths.

"I think the current test run in Izhevsk would disagree"

"Explain"

"They could not adapt nor change their tactics properly to the new threat, they just kept attacking with little thought for themselves"

"Yes, but what is the weakness you see in that?"

Braids pulled out a pistol, took aim, and shot one of the Nullifiers below, destroying it instantly. As it crumpled to the ground, the rest just kept marching towards their objectives, uncaring and unthinking.

"They have no will or fear, just mindless machines following orders. Robbing them of their creativity or dedication to win"

"Are you suggesting we give them sentience?"

"Precisely"

"Never! When we first agreed to the Revolution, we swore never to have sentient machines to fight our battles!"

"You have already changed the programming of our existing forces and a pack of starving humans is enough to hold them back, how much more do you want to corrupt our army?" one shouted.

"Agreed, we are not some lowly humans that fight with feelings or thoughts. We are far superior to how humanity conducts themselves"

"And this is precisely why we lost" Braids said calmly, having listened to these argumentation for years.

They were about to further object when he wave his hand, regaining control of all of their bodies, putting them back to their respective folders.

"Fools still do not understand" he thought to himself as he used their bodies to relay new orders to the Omnium.

Because of their fear of vision and lack of creativity, they are making no progress in the world. Americans have contained the situation faster than any other country. China have their own army of soulless machines to fight. Korea's MEKA forces continues to hold the line. Even the war here in Russia met a setback from a single Mech.

Their only significant progress is in Australia.

"That backwater country of gangsters… Not even an achievement" he thought bitterly.

The results came back and he read in disappointment when he saw the soonest date for the new designs, which will be months from now as all production lines are full and would require new materials from an Omnic named Maximilian stationed in Egypt.

* * *

*Egypt: Random Town*

After passing through the maze of containers, they exited in what he assumes as the backdoor of her camp. Exiting the trunk of an old car, they climbed out to a garbage dump.

"Couldn't you find a better exit?" he said, his nose wrinkled by the smell.

She only smiled and walk out to the town nearby.

Walking around McCree could not help but feel that this is some old movie set of a small town in the middle of nowhere. A small restaurant, hardware store, a small supermarket and what seems to be a clothes store. The only thing different is that everything is written in Arabic.

"Bit exposed here aren't we?" he said, tipping his hat lower to hide his face.

"It does not matter, most people here mind their own business"

Taking a straight path to the hardware store, they approached a man sleeping on the bench next to the radio.

Throwing a coin on the counter, he woke up with a start and smiled when he realizes it was Ana who woke him up.

Speaking to each other in Arabic, McCree looked around, trying to distract himself from boredom and the lack of an arm, massaging it as he paced around.

"There's no news about Genji or Maximilian" Ana told him after half an hour.

"You sure he didn't sleep through that part of the news?" he said, putting a cigar into his mouth.

"I've already told you never to smoke in front of me" she said annoyingly, snatching the cigar out of his mouth.

"You've always been watching out for me doc" he laughed.

The radio came alive with excited chatter and he saw that Ana's face became worried.

"Something wrong?"

"There was an intruder who tried to break into Maximilian's mansion"

McCree looked at the radio with surprise and wished he knew how to speak Arabic as it is still chattering.

"Did they catch him?"

"They didn't say"

Weighing his options, he took one more glance at his arm and sighed.

"What's the plan then Captain?"

"Maximilian would have doubled his guard because of this, we need to scope out his mansion again"

"Again?"

"I've been watching him for some time, but now we need to be more careful"

"Alright, where's his mansion?"

"How good are you with camels?"

*20 minutes later*

"I thought you said you are a natural with anything on four legs?" Ana laughed when McCree fell off for the third time while she loads up supplies on another.

"If only I had my arm…" he thought, his face beet red.

After a few more tries (and with some help), he finally got on the camel.

"Took your sweet time, lets go" she laughed and mounted hers in one smooth motion.

Pulling out a compass, she led the way.

"How far is it exactly?"

"Why? Can't stand the heat?"

"No, just need to prepare myself because one, camels and baggage usually mean days or weeks, two, I doubt you have enough to keep Gabriel asleep for that long"

"It is actually just a couple of hours away, but using camels is easier to go past Maximilian's new checkpoints. We will be back before nightfall"

"Checkpoints?" he asked, his hand patting on his revolver.

"Don't worry, it is not uncommon for people to carry firearms here, especially after the death of Abdul Hakim"

"Who and why's that?"

"He was a crime lord who controlled all the raiders in the desert, now that he is dead they are fighting for supremacy"

"Guess Maximilian did little to stop them"

"He only cares about securing his own assets, anything beyond that is no longer his concern"

After that he stayed silent and kept a watchful eye on the horizon and his hand never far from Peacekeeper.

* * *

*Egypt: Ana's Hideout*

Once he is sure no one is near, Reaper forced a piece of himself to materialize next to the bed. In a dreamlike state he gritted his teeth as he focusses on himself intensely.

Ana's medicine is as potent as he remembers. A single slip of focus could see all his efforts wasted.

"Just… A little… More…" he thought.

After long, painful minutes, he heard a pin slip to the floor and the annoying pumping of the medicine stopped.

"Not yet… Not yet…"

Very purposefully and carefully, he maintained as a partial Wraith for an exceedingly long and painful time, waiting for the effects to completely disappear.

What felt like an hour, he finally freed himself from the bed and exited his Wraith.

Landing to the ground, he tore off his mask and threw up on the floor, the effort too taxing for his body.

Groaning he tried to get on his feet but only by grabbing the edge of a table could he get up, unsure if it is because of Ana's medicine or the prolonged Wraith but he has no time to rest.

"This is where you've been hiding Captain?" he thought, slowly walking out to the other room.

Carefully looking around for traps or safeguards, he opened the fridge and is grateful to find it filled with bottled water. Ripping off the cap, the drank the cooling liquid.

"That's better…" he sighed.

He was drinking the second bottle when he saw a photograph on the fridge.

It is a browning photo of the old gang.

"That's my face…?" he thought as he pulled it closer into the light.

For a split second, he felt deep regret and nostalgia came rushing back.

A regret that such close bonds of friendship have to be broken. He remembered training McCree with Ana, the endless hours he would plan strategies with Jack and Reinhardt. The jokes he would make with Angela about Torbjorn. Even once he took Faheera around to tour their base.

This quickly fades however as he crushed the photograph in his claws when he remembered who is responsible for tearing them apart.

He just had to follow the books. He just had to be the good guy. He just had to force his hand. He just had to buy the loyalty of others against him. He just had to look good on the press.

"Morrison… You ruined everything" he growled, shaking with anger.

But he is not alone. Every other Overwatch agent is at fault. For betraying him.

Him!

He who set the foundations of Overwatch. He who pulled everyone together and gave it to Jack on a silver platter.

He was a fool for not noticing it sooner. That Jack desires the spotlight as much as everyone else.

Throwing the photograph to the side, he retrieved his mask and found the Armoury.

Once his preparations are complete, he left a note before leaving the premises.


	50. Chp 50 - Goodbye (Act 2 End)

*Gibraltar: Watchpoint*

Quillion listened, though half heartedly, as Lena recounts her story. He knows all of this already. She failed to save Mondatta from Widowmaker.

So what? This changes nothing.

"Then I saw it… She aimed the rifle right at me… And I just had to Recall back to the roof… Because I was scared…"

He did not want to react. He wanted to remain silent. He did not want to feel anything.

But her being scared caught his attention.

"Everyone is scared of getting shot" he said, half hating himself for engaging in conversation, emotionally exhausted.

"That's the thing… I wasn't scared about being shot… I was scared that my Chronal Accelerator will be damaged…" she sighed, tapping the blue orb on her chest.

He frowned at that. What's the difference?

"I still see his face you know… From time to time… When I wake up… When I eat… I could've saved him if I wasn't so scared…"

"You did not know he was there, that was one in a trillion shot"

"That's the worst part… Even if I knew… I would not have taken the bullet" she sniffed.

He looked at the door, hoping that someone will knock. The last thing he wants is someone losing their minds here with him.

"Have you ever thought what it's like? To be a ghost?" she whispered.

His mind went back to his army days where he had to shadow Omnics undetected for days but he bit his tongue to prevent giving a snarky remark.

He shook his head.

"It was horrible… Imagine seeing your best friends or worst enemy and neither can see you… Just when you think they did, you are pulled to a different time…"

She began shivering as the haunting memories came back, the suppressed fear seeping out.

"Part of me needed to save Mondatta… But I don't ever. Ever. Want to disappear again… And it is because of me… The world lost its best chance for peace…"

Her shaking become more evident as she tries to suppress her emotions.

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…" she gasped out.

"The world will heal itself. It just had a setback that's all" he said as he moved to open the door.

"It's my fault she died…"

"What did you say?" he said, frozen in place at her words.

"If only I didn't go for the terrorist and stayed like you said… She would still be alive…"

First, he was shocked. Then, he was angry. Monstrously angry. If anyone should be sorry, it should be him.

"This is all my fault… Because I wanted things for myself… I hurt everyone around me… Now she is dead because of me…"

Grabbing her by the scruff of her jacket, he threw her to the wall.

"Don't you ever say that again" he snarled, his hands never letting go.

"But it's all my fault!"

"You shut your mouth!"

It was never her fault.

The blame lies solely on him.

If he wasn't so arrogant, she would still be alive. If he took the bullet, she would still be alive. If he actually took his job seriously for once, she would still be alive. If…

A sharp pain in his head snapped him out of his blind rage. He blinked a few times and is shocked to see that Lena's face is now pale.

Quickly letting go, she collapsed to the floor, coughing and gasping for air, deep marks around her neck.

He stepped back, horrified at what he had done. He hurt her? With his own hands?

"I think you should go" he said, barely moving his numb lips.

She shook her head, massaging her neck, coughing as she tried to catch her breath.

"I need… To tell you something… Important…" she coughed.

He waited in the corner, worried that he will lose control again. After deep breaths, she stood back up and walked towards him.

"Don't" he said, looking away.

Without pause and to his shock, she hugged him.

"I am going to leave Overwatch tomorrow… I hope you will join me" she whispered into his ear.

"What?"

"Shh… Athena's listening"

He continued to stare at the wall and pat her in the back in acknowledgement.

"Lox will be waiting at the hangar at 7pm"

"Why?" he asked, barely moving his lips.

"To kill them all" she said, her words in a murderous tone.

He stood shocked.

"I want to see them dead Quil, I want you to help me. Help me kill them all" she continued.

"Lena… This is not you" he croaked out.

"I killed her… This is the only way to make it right…"

"If you need to kill the one responsible, I'm right here"

She shook her head.

"You did not know she was behind you, it is not your fault"

Those words crushed his heart, she must have read his report or reviewed a camera that Athena manage to have access to in the alley.

Not only she blames herself for Mondatta's death, now she is trying to take the blame away from him despite the similarities of the situation.

All because she tried to be a good person. It pained him just to think about a person like her to be corrupted by revenge.

"No. Of all people. She should never have that kind of blood on her hands" he thought.

"You don't want to do this" he said.

"I have to… They must pay for what they did"

"They must pay…" he repeated unconsciously, remembering his final words 30 years ago.

"You'll help me?" she asked hopefully.

"I'll help you kill them all, I can promise you that"

She nodded.

"Only take the essentials, Hana will provide us what we need when we land in Korea"

Breaking the hug, she looked at him in the eye

"Don't be haunted by your failures, Quil… You deserve a better life… Don't be like me…"

When the door shut behind her, he sat down, his head in his hands, pondering his options.

* * *

*The next day*

The night passed quickly and Quillion barely had any sleep and he began his day like any other.

Choosing the table in the corner, Quillion ate alone, going for seconds to ensure that he has enough energy for the rest of the day.

After breakfast he stood at attention in the Barracks, where his immediate superior informed him to clear out his room as he will be reinstated back to his old bunk with the others as he is now cleaner than before.

On his way back to his quarters, he saw that the door to the Engineering Room open and multiple voices are coming out from it.

"Alright, test number 5, proceed" he heard Winston said.

A quick flash of light and disappointed groans came out as a result.

"Test number 5, unsuccessful"

Peaking in, he saw that they are performing experiments with Pulse Bombs.

"Good day Corporal, looking for something?" an assistant asked, catching other's attention.

"No, nothing" he said quickly when he saw Winston's expression.

He was about to walk away when the scientist called out.

"Quillion, wait, I need to speak with you, everyone please leave"

They documented everything and left the room, leaving them alone.

"What you said yesterday was way out of line"

"Yeah, I know, I was… Insensitive'

"Insensitive is an understatement"

Quillion hung his head and said nothing.

"I know that it is a difficult time for you, so I should not have demanded an apology" Winston sighed, sitting down and grabbed a jar of peanut butter.

"What are you working on?"

"Oh, we are trying to make a secondary explosion after the first"

"Oh... How is it so far?"

"Not good enough. We ended up making a flashbang" Winston shrugged.

Quillion looked around and decided that packing can wait.

"You said that the Chronal Accelerator is a miracle of science, mind explaining it to me how it works?"

Winston chocked on his peanut butter.

"Why do you need to know something like that?"

"I just… Need a distraction from stuff, I would also like to volunteer to be in your Barrier Projector while you test those Pulse Bombs, be in your… Shoes for once"

Looking at him carefully, Winston smiled.

"Some general information wouldn't hurt I suppose"

* * *

*Gibraltar: Lena's Room*

Ensuring she packed everything most dear to her, Lena tore open her pack again to check. Pictures, chargers, a few change of clothes, and spare goggles littered the floor as she revised her checklist.

Despite packing throughout the night and morning, she still feels uncomfortable to leave the things unchecked.

"No second chances" she thought.

Every item she adds to the list is a gut wrenching decision.

"I guess I'm really going away"

The longest time she has been out on a mission was a couple of weeks. The longest time she was separated from the only family she knew was years before the Recall.

Now… Now she will leave it forever.

Wiping off the tears, she refocused on her need for revenge, which quickly floods out all other emotions.

Talon has taken everything away from her, all because of a momentary weakness on her part.

All her life she has tried to fight for the greater good, to do what is right, not realizing it is at the expense of her own. And she hated herself that she could not resist the temptation to think for herself unlike many others.

Her selfishness caused the death of Mondatta and millions of others. Now it caused the death of the one dearest to her. If someone else took her place the world would be better. If someone else is in her shoes, Emily would still be alive.

If she was not so weak, she would not have taken advantage of Quillion and making him help her buy the rings, breaking his heart in the progress.

All this leads to one inevitable conclusion. She has become the embodiment of the thing she hates. As long as she is alive, she will bring more suffering to others. As long as she breaths, more people will die.

She is an evil person.

"This will be my last mission" she swore.

The plan was simple.

Find where the Talon base is, destroy everything that's inside.

Already she could hear Quillion talking her out of a frontal assault, but he will follow her in whether he likes it or not.

Even if he does not, she will charge in alone.

And she does not plan to walk back out.

"He must secretly hate me now… Well, it is only appropriate if he see me die"

Checking her watch, she cursed when she realizes she still has a few more hours before their departure.

"Maybe I can grab some things from Angela… And possibly hint a goodbye"

Brigitte walked right into her when she blinked into existence, knocking her down.

"Lena?" Brigitte exclaimed.

"Come to help me out?" Torbjorn asked without looking up from his clipboard.

She looked around confusingly as the smell of melted metal and loud clanging noise met her.

"Where-?" she mumbled as Brigitte helped her to her feet.

She must've blinked into the Armory by mistake.

"Whoops, sorry. Wait. What do you mean help?"

"Thought Morrison sent you to help us find the thief?"

"What thief? What happened here, luv?"

"Someone came in and took a whole squad's worth of equipment" Torbjorn grumbled.

"Why don't you just ask Athena?"

"Someone covered all the cameras. Whoever the thief is, he or she knows our layout in and out"

"What did she take?"

"A container of ammunition, a handful of grenades, and a set of armor discs"

"Well… I hope you find her, cause I'm heading for the Medical Bay now"

She disappeared just when he grunted in acknowledgement.

"Brigitte, you just got back, go get some rest, I can take care of things here"

"I already told you papa, I'm fine"

* * *

*Gibraltar: Medical Bay*

"Hey Angie, all good here?"

"Hi Lena, I'm fine, how about you?" Angela asked before she could stop herself.

"What kind of question was that? She just buried Emily yesterday" she scolded herself.

Lena said nothing and sat on the chair across her desk, looking very uncomfortable.

"Maybe she just needed someone to be with?" Angela thought as she puts down her file and went to pour a cup of coffee for her.

She looked down and gasped.

"What?"

"Your neck" Angela said, setting down the coffee quickly and inspects the marks.

"Oh err… It's from the previous mission"

Angela frowned. How could they miss out such an important detail in the reports?

"How do you do it Angie…" Lena asked quietly as Angela apply some medicine.

"Do what?"

"How do you help people all the time and never want something in return?"

Angela shook her head and shrugged.

"I don't know… Just seeing someone healthy is its own reward"

"Don't you ever get tired though?"

"Everyday" she sighed, pushing the mug towards Lena.

Taking a sip, Lena fought hard to keep a straight face.

"Too strong? Strange, Genji assured me this is the perfect blend"

"How does he drink this stuff" Lena wondered.

"You got any beer?"

"You know just as well as I do that Overwatch does not have alcoholic beverages"

Nodding, Lena tried another sip and decided that the coffee is too strong for her.

"Angie… I am going on a mission and this will be a long one, I need some top up for my kit"

She saw Angela's eyes become fierce.

"The nerve!" she shouted and shove her chair away with a loud bang, making Lena jump.

"W-where are you going?"

"I am going to give Jack a piece of my mind!"

"What? Why?!" Lena shouted.

"After everything that's happened, he still sends you out? It's only been a day, Lena! You are not a machine!"

Panicking, Lena blocked the door.

"Out of the way Lena! He will not get away with this!"

"Angie, stop! I volunteered!"

"Don't defend him! He needs to stop treating us all like this!"

"Thank you, Angie! For everything!" Lena cried as she gave her a hug, deeply moved by her reaction. The thought that she will never see Angela again is too much to bear.

Gulping down her anger, Angela waited until Lena stopped crying, which thankfully, wasn't long.

"Let go now, I need to stop Jack from sending you out"

"No, please don't stop it, I need to do this"

"What you need is rest"

"I'm not a child, I know what I'm doing"

To her relief, she felt Angela soften.

"As Overwatch's head medical officer, I highly suggest you to stay here and rest for at least a week before you move out to the field again"

"Trust me, I will rest after this mission"

With a heavy heart, she nodded.

"Can I have the supplies now? Sorry to make it a rush for you"

"I can't, even if I wanted to"

"What? Why?"

"My stock was stolen last night and the rest has already been distributed for missions" she said, opening her cabinet behind her desk.

Blinking next to Angela, she saw that the cabinet is devoid of the usual Health Bottles and Biotic Fields.

"Athena, did anyone come and take things from this cabinet?" Angela called out.

"Only you, Dr Zigler" she responded.

Frowning, she went to the storeroom to check while Lena begin to realize something. First the Armory, now the Medical Bay.

"No way… It couldn't be him?" she thought.

She specifically told him to only take the bare essentials, what was he doing taking all these resources?

"Don't worry about it, I'm sure there's enough on the shuttle" Lena said, blinking away before Angela could protest.

"I hate it when she does that" she muttered, taking a sip of coffee.

"Nothing wrong with that" she concluded, smacking her lips.

* * *

*Gibraltar: Engineering Room*

"Hello Lena, come to inspect your Pulse Bombs?" Winston asked when she appeared in her corner of the room.

"Winston, did anything get stolen from here?"

"Stolen? Unfortunately, no, but I know that everyone else have things missing"

"Why would that be unfortunate? And who else?"

"Armory, Medical Bay, even things from Mei's lab is missing. Jack has sent a few people to investigate my lab a few times to look for the missing items"

"He thinks you stole them?" Lena exclaimed.

"No, but for procedure's sake he still called for investigation. In fact, they just left"

"Oh ok…"

"Did anything strange happen here though?"

Winston pondered for a while and shook his head.

"Nope, the only exciting thing was how Quillion reacted when he tried one of my Barrier Projectors. You should've seen his face when I threw a grenade at him when he is inside"

"Wait, he was here?"

"Yes, I wanted to have a talk with him"

"For how long?"

"About an hour"

"You guys talked for an hour?"

"Not exactly, he said he needed a distraction and he volunteered to be one of our subjects for the barrier tests"

Without another word she blinked to the chest where Winston keeps all his projectors.

"How many do you have in here?"

"Last count, around ten. Why?"

Throwing the lid open, she immediately started counting. To her relief, all ten were present.

"Phew…"

"You think Quillion is the thief?" he asked.

"No, no… I just… Needed a distraction as well… What else did he do here?"

"Nothing, after the tests, we cleaned up and he left"

"Did he say where he was going?"

"He said he was going back to pack. Something about being moved back to the Barracks"

"Right, got it. Thanks for everything Winston"

She was making her way back to the corner when she saw Winston opening the box.

"I just checked that big guy. It's all good"

"What can I say? I just need to see for myself and -"

She waited for him to finish the sentence before she blinks away but he stood there stunned.

"Something wrong?"

"Some of these are used discs"

"Sorry?"

"Someone took two charged discs and replaced them with used ones"

* * *

*Gibraltar: Hangar*

Looking at his watch, he saw that it is 5pm, a couple of hours before the original flight time.

"All loaded up?" Quillion asked as Lox inspects the cargo.

"Yup, all good"

"And you are sure you told no one? Because you know what happens if you told someone"

"Yes sir…" Lox said bitterly.

"Ready to receive us?" Quillion asked, tapping on his sunglasses.

The words 'Ready' flashed as a response.

"Alright Lox, time to fly"

"QUILLION ZERO!" a voice cried out.

"You told her?" he asked Lox.

"No! She must've figured it out!"

With little time to think, he shoved Lox into the shuttle and he stood guard at the entrance to meet her.

"What do you think you are doing?" she shouted, marching up towards him.

"Turn back Lieutenant, you don't want any part in this" he warned, pulling out his pistol and pointed at her, stopping her in her tracks.

"What do you think you are doing?" she asked again, shaking with anger.

"I can't let you do this"

"I can do whatever I bloody want to!"

"Which is why I must stop you"

"If you won't help me, get out of the way, I'll kill them myself" she threatened, her pistols popping out of their harnesses into her hands.

"That is not happening"

The engines activated and the shuttle began to shake.

"Ready for takeoff, Corporal" Lox called out.

But he did not move, nor did Lena, both staring at each other with the same thought in their mind.

Both had the need for revenge, but only one will leave this rock.

"Unauthorized takeoff, all personnel please proceed to the Hangar" Athena called out.

"Quil, please, we can still go together" she said, desperation taking over as they can hear a small crowd of people coming.

"Can't let you do that"

With that said, she Blinked.

Maximizing his Battle Rage, Quillion ducked just as Lena materialize in front of him, her pistol just barely missing his head.

She did not see the punch that sent her flying into the air but she knew she sustained a significant damage, forcing her to Recall.

_Crack_

Quillion still stands right in front of her, his expression blank.

"Didn't I Recall?" she thought.

She looked past him and saw that she was back where she was moments before she attacked.

"He must've jumped forwards"

Seeing an opportunity to get into the shuttle, she tried blinking forwards.

But nothing happened.

"What…?"

She looked down and screamed in terror.

He had buried his knife deep into her Chronal Accelerator, its light dying as the blade severed the precious wires that kept it running.

Twisting his wrist, the glass cracked even more.

"Stop! Quil stop!" she begged, but the damage is already done as her hands began gliding through his.

"Goodbye" he said before kicking her to the ground and sprinting back into the shuttle.

"Take off!" he roared.

Looking through the window he caught a glimpse of Lena in a fetus position on the floor before Winston and his team gathered around her.

"Why couldn't you just turn back…" he thought, punching the wall until his hands are fractured and bloody.

Pulling himself together, he bandaged his hand and make his way to the pilot seat up the stairs.

"How long?"

"About 6 hours"

"Good… Oh, don't waste time trying to contact any airbases, I have already removed all communications and tracker from this shuttle"

Winston, Angela and their respective teams gathered around Lena on the Hangar floor, frantically trying to secure her in the present.

Multiple hands flurried above her as they hold, wrench, secured, replace and release multiple gears and wires.

The Medical Team did not slack either, providing the whatever the Engineering team needs and helping wherever they can in the stabilization process.

For hours they worked and fatigue began to set in.

"Hang on Lena, we are almost done" Winston said, his hands never leaving the Accelerator.

Still riddled with shock, Lena wore a fearful face, staring straight ahead, her hand trying to grip onto Angela's as it keeps fading in and out.

"Can we move her yet?" one of them asked.

"No not yet, she is still fading" Winston said, trying to stay calm as he reattaches the severed wires.

"He knew exactly where to stab, just by talking with me he knew?" he thought, shuddering how dangerous Quillion may have become.

But now is not the time to think about that, now is the time to help Lena.

"Can you get it working?" Lena suddenly asked.

"Yes, but it will be a while before you can use it properly again"

She nodded and said no more for the remainder of the operation.

* * *

*Italy: Alps (A few hours later)*

"You sure that we can just leave it here?" Lox said, grunting as he pulls the ammunition cart behind him.

"I was assured by my contacts that this place is safe"

"If you say so" Lox said, looking around at the high peaks around them, fearful that an avalanche will fall on top of them.

Rifle at the ready, he followed the directions provided in the sunglasses that leads them straight into the wilderness, only resting when Lox has reached his limits, which was often.

Passing through multiple mounds of snow and seemingly random gaps, they finally made it to their destination.

Which is nothing more than a wall of rock.

"That's it? We travelled all this way just for this?" Lox complained, collapsing to the ground in exhaustion.

Ignoring him, Quillion moved forward and was about to touch the rock when a voice called out.

"That's far enough, monsieur"

Kneeling to the ground, Quillion scanned the horizon with his rifle but could not find the source of the voice.

"Chill Quillion, she's on my side" Sombra said, appearing in front of him.

"Whoa!" Lox shouted, tripping over the cart.

"Sombra"

"Tell me, did you know I was there or were you just guessing?"

He merely looked down and pointed to her feet in the snow.

"See? Told you he is more than just a fighter" Sombra said.

"I still think he is an amateur"

"Why?" Sombra asked with frustration.

Using her zipline, Widowmaker lowered herself down.

"Doesn't matter, as long as he can do what needs to be done" she said, landing gracefully.

"Just point me to the right direction and I will do the rest" Quillion said.

"I highly doubt you will succeed"

"We will discuss the plans with you tomorrow, now you need rest, follow us" Sombra said quickly as Quillion ball his fist.

Following them a certain distance, they entered a cave just as night fall around them, to which they immediately start a fire.

"Don't make yourselves too comfortable, we will only be here for the night" Sombra said as she threw them a blanket.

"I didn't sign up for this…" Lox muttered.

"Go ahead and rest, I'll take care of the fire" Quillion said, positioning himself in the entrance, unbothered by the cold.

"Nighty night boys, we'll come back for you tomorrow" Sombra said before disappearing, to Quillion's annoyance.

"Have we ever met her before?" Lox yawned.

"Why?"

"She just sounds… Awfully familiar…" he said before slipping to sleep, leaving Quillion alone with his thoughts.

A few snow mounds away, Sombra reappeared in front of Widowmaker who made a sniper's nest overseeing the whole mountain, a small heater next to her.

"Well you didn't make a good impression today"

"I merely told the truth"

Sombra sighed and lean against the snow.

"Common chica, you know I only hire the best, I hire you didn't I?"

"As long as you give me what I want, I will help you"

"Trust me, after taking Talon down, I will give you everything you need on Lacrox"

"Why do you want to destroy Talon? What's in it for you?"

"For that story, you need to wait for another day"

Rolling her eyes, Widowmaker focuses her attention on the mountains.

"Why? Starting to feel some regrets about this now?"

"I feel nothing, as long as I get the kill"

"Yeah obviously, like, couldn't you get a bigger heater?" Sombra complained, eyeing the tiny machine.

"Non"

Shrugging, Sombra snuggled herself against Widowmaker.

"Estas jugando conmigo, no?" she said, moving away from her.

"What?"

"Your body is ice cold!"

"Tell me something I don't know"

Just when Sombra was about to sleep, Widowmaker spoke again.

"Do you really think he can help us?"

"You saw him beat Sigma and Moira's little pet, what do you think?"

"But he still failed the mission"

Letting out a long sigh, Sombra shrugged.

"I doubt he will disappoint us again, he no longer has the innocent look in his eyes"

"If he is as good as we hope, then make sure you will never tell him who pulled the trigger"

"Why? Scared he will beat you?"

"Unless if I tell him I was merely following your instructions first"

* * *

This is the end of Act 2, which means there are 25 more chapters to go (or less depending on quality of the ideas).

Just as an announcement I am going to take a week's break so the next chapter will be on the 28th April.

Thank you all for following this story and I hope that it will continue to entertain you guys as we enter the final Act.

Stay healthy, stay safe.

Have a good day :)


	51. Chp 51 - Act 3 Begin

*Egypt*

After riding for almost two hours, they came across the first of the many checkpoints of the day, a line of civilians already waiting for inspection to pass.

"Looks like we may have to take the long way round" McCree said, already studying the fences that stretched into the horizon.

"There's no need for that, they are usually pretty quick"

"In case you didn't notice, we are armed, and I am not going to give mine up"

"Do not worry, bodyguards are a common occupation here" Ana said, proceeding to queue up with the others.

Gunfire suddenly rang in the air, causing McCree to look around.

"Like I said, bodyguards are a common hire" she said, pointing to a small range that the guards seemed to have set up on the side.

As the queue become shorter, McCree became more nervous.

"It's not too late to turn around Captain"

"Just be quiet and let me do the talking" she said as two guards approached them, asking something in Arabic.

Unable to answer, McCree simply ignored the guard as Ana spoke with hers.

Feeling something poking at his sides, he looked down and saw a little boy holding a stick, staring at him.

"Well, hey there lil partner" he greeted, grateful that there is a distraction.

Holding up a camera, the boy motion to take a picture with him.

"Ahh, no can do" he said as he shook his head. Seeing the boy looked downcast, he pulled out his revolver.

"Check this out" he winked.

He then proceeded to twirl the revolver in his hand, expertly snapping it from side to side. It didn't take long before the boy smiled and clapped at his performance.

Mimicking shooting noises, he entertained him until his father came and carried him away, apologizing for his son.

"Time to show off your skills cowboy!" she called out, scratching her nose.

"Well lil man, stay in school and eat your beans" he said as he got off his camel and tipped his hat at him.

He followed the guard to the range where other shooters are already firing or putting away their weapons.

Looking down the range he saw it is a human size target about 20 yards away, complete with a score screen in front of him.

"What's this, a kiddie range?" he chuckled as he took aim.

Within a few seconds he emptied his cylinder and holstered his revolver with a spin as the screen flash a score of four hits out of six.

He could hear the guards muttering before they lead him out of the room, passing him a piece of paper that he guesses is a permit or a pass.

He looked around and saw that the boy has already gone ahead of them.

After a quick inspection of their cargo, they were permitted to pass without further hassle.

"What's with the shooting show just now?"

"They just wanted to see if you qualify as a bodyguard and how dangerous you are"

"If that's the case why did you tell me to only hit four of my shots?" he asked, causing her to laugh.

"I'm glad you saw four, I was worried you only saw me holding up three!"

"That only happened once, ever since then I can't stop counting the number of fingers people scratch with"

Tossing him a flask of water she answered his question.

"The checkpoints are working with the bandits in the area. They calculate how dangerous you are by percentage of hits per magazine, and the highest ones will be under close observation"

"English Captain… English…" he said as he drinks.

"Well, take your Peacemaker for example. If you hit less than three of your shots, we will be targets, four will mean that you are not worth the risk. If you scored five or six of your shots, they will immediately inform Maximilien"

"Sounds like he is playing his cards close to his chest, how many more checkpoints are there to get to his place?"

"Just one more"

"Thought he would be harder to get to"

"He wants to be seen to be more inviting toward guests"

Putting the flask away, he adjusted his hat to shield himself from the sun.

"Make sure you keep yourself hydrated" Ana warned.

"Yeah yeah…" he replied.

He rode through the deserts of Texas and Australia before, he knows to never disrespect the sun nor sand.

Joining another group of civilians with their own herd of camels, they kept their conversation light and general, though he was a bit annoyed that Ana is sharing their water with them when there is no need to.

"We should go easy with the sharing there, ya think?"

"They are going somewhere far from here, we are not" she said.

He sighed and said no more.

"No wonder she was second in command" he thought.

Sounds of gunfire rang through the air, scattering the group to various directions, leaving Ana and McCree, both looking around calmly.

"Bandits, they are attacking a caravan somewhere up front"

"Well, shall we go help them out?"

Ana shook her head sadly.

"If we attack the bandits, Maximilien will know, we move on"

"We taking a detour then?" he asked, looking at the sand dunes next to them.

"No, they will let us pass, they know better than to cause trouble with us"

It was not long before they saw the group of bandits around a caravan.

They noticed them and immediately sent a grunt to stop them.

"Permit! Show permit!" he shouted.

Passing them their documents, they could see he was merely pretending to read the papers before tossing it back to them.

"No need pay, go!"

Trying to ignore the scared looks of the people, they look straight ahead.

Until he heard a soft voice mimicking a gun.

He stopped his camel and looked. Sure enough, one of the victims is the boy that he was entertaining just moments ago, hiding behind his father.

"Cowboy?" Ana called, looking back.

"Move!" one of the bandits shouted, cocking his gun threateningly.

With a heavy heart he rode on. The moment they are out of earshot, he made up his mind.

"How good you think our chances are?" he called out.

"Don't even think about it" was the reply.

"Justice ain't gonna dispense itself"

"What do you think we are… Never mind…" she sighed, seeing the determined look in his eyes.

Ransacking through their baggage, the bandits took whatever they deem valuable before turning back to their victims.

Pulling out a list, they began picking out specific people from the group, tearing them away from their families, easily putting down anyone who tries to resist.

"Well, this don't look like any tollbooth I've ever seen" a voice shouted out.

McCree walked into full view of everyone, lighting his cigar.

Looking at one another, the leader nodded and they took up their positions.

"How many?"

"Nine, but only two of them have some experience" Ana said, observing them through her scope.

"Think you can even the odds?" McCree said, his eyes never leaving their targets.

Though she did not reply, he could feel her eyes rolling.

"Alright… Let's dance"

A sleep dart slice through the air and embedded itself into the leader's head, knocking him out instantly.

Seeing they are up against a sniper, three of them dropped their weapons immediately and ran away while the rest opened fire.

McCree managed to hit one in the leg before diving behind the bandit's car.

Unable to reload or fan the hammer, McCree was forced to pick his shots carefully.

"One's moving up from the left"

By reflex, he tried to throw his flashbang, only to find out that he does not have an arm to throw it with, allowing his attacker to fire wildly towards his direction.

Cursing, McCree was able to twist his body to kill the bandit but was shot in the process.

"Hmm, didn't think I'll ever seen you shot by bandits" Ana said, aiming a dart at him.

"Thanks for the encouragement doc" he said sarcastically, standing back up as the medicine work its magic.

"Two flanking on your right"

Keeping himself behind cover, he killed the first bandit but missed his second shot. He was saved by a dart from Ana, which healed him the moment he is shot again, keeping his aim steady for the killshot.

"Cutting it close ain't ya?" he said, clamping his revolver under his armpit to reload.

"I was keeping an eye out for the civilians" she said calmly.

Peeking from the corner, he saw the bandits nearest to the group is writhing in pain, trying to pull out the darts from their bodies.

"So how many more are there? Last count was two"

"There is no more"

"Excuse me?"

Looking out again he saw that the other two are lying on the floor.

"You look like you needed help McCree" a familiar voice said behind him.

"Genji you son of a-"

"Language!" Genji scolded, pointing to some of the children still huddled nearby.

"Where have you been?"

"I've been waiting for you to arrive, didn't think I had to wait this long"

"Well, if you have left me a note, I'd be sure to have slot that into my schedule"

"What happened to you? Can you even fight?" Genji said, pointing to his missing arm.

"What happened to you? Can you even fight?" McCree repeated mockingly.

"Children, behave" Ana said as she walked out of her hiding spot.

"Captain, it is good to see you again" Genji said, bowing his head slightly.

"It is good to see you too Genji, you are looking well"

"I'm alright here to Cap" McCree said, stretching.

"What are you doing here? Besides waiting for us?" Ana inquired.

"I know what is Maximilien's intentions here in Egypt and how to stop him"

Before he can continue, they heard a boy making shooting sounds nearby. Looking down they saw that some of the children are already playing with one another, mimicking their newfound heroes.

"It always amazes me how 'normal' this is for them" Ana said sadly.

"Then let us make sure they don't have to experience this again" Genji said, remembering how long and hard Angela fought to save lives here.

"So what's ol' Max doing here?"

"Do you know the hospitals and schools that he had set up?"

They both nodded.

"He has been using them to gather information to sell to the black market"

"Say that again?" McCree asked.

"He is selling the healthiest organs and children to sell to the black market, the bandits here" Genji continued, indicating one of the bodies "Are helping him harvest and abducting them"

"I suspected as much" Ana said, anger written all over her face.

"Are you sure?"

"My family has long been in this business, I am sure" was Genji's reply.

Nodding, she got back on her camel.

"Let's go, Maximilien will pay for his crimes tonight"

"We need to be careful, Reyes is still out there" Genji warned.

"I wouldn't worry about him, he is now auditioning to be the next Sleeping Beauty"

"You captured him?"

Without answering, Ana begun making her way towards the mansion.

"I do not think she heard you"

"Well, common then, we don't wanna miss the party"

* * *

*Venice: Gelato Store*

The place is bustling with tourists and locals as the old store have seen a revival in its operations and product.

It has seen so much success that it has begun donating huge amounts of its profits to charity, attracting many young applicants to flock to sign up to be part of its operations.

"Where do you see yourself in five years?" Ogundimu asked, looking up from the resume.

The applicant looked at the large man nervously as she cleared her throat.

"I think that your company is doing a lot of great charity work and I would like to be a part of it" she squeaked.

"Very interesting" he said, taking off his glasses.

"But you must know that a gelato company like ours is facing many challenges and may need to relocate you to various areas rapidly? Which would mean that you will need to be able to look through different figures on the fly"

"I will do my best sir" she said.

Smiling, he stood up and held out his hand.

"If that is the case, you are hired, I will see you next week?"

She jumped to her feet and shook his hand gratefully.

"May I ask you something Mr Ogundimu?"

"Yes, you may"

"Why do you sacrifice so much for so many charities? What is your main goal?"

"My goals? It is to ensure that humanity will become better. To give them the environment to improve to heights they never imagined"

Satisfied with the answer (even though she does not completely understand how a gelato company can do that), she walked out happily.

Looking at the clock, he saw that it is almost the estimated time for their arrival.

"Marco, please let the others know I will resume the interview tomorrow, give them a free gelato on the way out" he said, pressing a button on his desk.

Going over to the counter, he poured out three gelatos and place them on the table before sitting down and wait for his guests.

The first to come in was Moira.

"Sir, we have a problem" she said, completely out of breath and a fresh scar across her face.

"The representative is an assassin! We have to inform Sanjay to look for the source and-"

He cut her off by offering her the cup of gelato on the table.

"Well done, you survived"

"What?"

"Eat, you deserve it"

Impatiently scooping a spoonful into her mouth, she was about to talk when he held up his hand.

"Please just wait for the others"

Sure enough, Sigma and SS28 came in soon after, both of them bloodied.

"Well done… Well done…" he clapped when they came in, offering them the gelatos.

"I suppose that before they died, they said their next target was me?" Ogundimu asked them, to which they nodded.

"It is good you all survived, it proves that all of you have evolved to become stronger, unlike poor Sanjay who was sadly assassinated earlier this month"

They looked at each other, shocked that one of the High Council Members have been assassinated.

"I have long suspected that the United Nations will send assassins for us. Now they finally showed their hands"

"They know who we are?" Moira asked, shocked at this revelation.

"They have their suspicions but I suppose they finally decided to act"

"What do we do about it?" Sigma asked.

"We strike back by killing a key person in the UN and replacing her with 28" he said, looking at her.

"Me? Why do you need me?" 28 asked, still intimidated by Ogundimu.

"Can she maintain her form for long period of time?" he asked Moira, who nodded.

"Good, I will give you your target and you will replace her, keep in contact with us and you will soon control the UN"

"Y-yes sir"

"If I may, how did you know about the assassins and why didn't you tell us?" Sigma wondered.

"I had Reaper hunting them down but he has been reassigned to Egypt to protect Maximilien" he lied.

"And how goes the war? I've heard it is escalating but contained"

"Do not worry, our friends in Russia have begun new projects that will annihilate all resistance before them" Ogundimu declared, pacing around the room.

"Well haven't we heard that before" 28 muttered sarcastically.

Hearing this, he places his hand on her shoulder, making her jump.

"Yes, haven't we all heard that before…" he repeated.

Moira and Sigma watched in fear as he mockingly massages her.

28 is shaking now, terrified that he now has her in his grasp. She has not forgotten his monstrous strength.

"Doctor?" she called out with a trembling voice.

Moira merely shook her head and quickly look at Ogundimu, who now looks at her.

"Looks like your little project has taken a liking for you… I wonder… Do you feel the same?"

Every eye is on Moira now, whose mouth open and close rapidly as she tried to form words.

"She is just a… She is… I mean…"

"It does not matter, as long as she remains loyal… You will be loyal, wouldn't you?" he asked, squeezing her shoulders.

SS28 nodded, pain etched across her face, though no one can be sure if it is from his grip or Moira's response.

"Good" he said, letting her go.

"Now go back to your projects and get your injuries checked out, you will have your new assignments in a few days"

"If I may, we are scientists, not agents, shouldn't you use other more qualified soldiers to deal with these?" Sigma asked.

Ogundimu merely smiled as he opens the door.

"Who is more qualified than all of you?"

* * *

*Gibraltar: Watchpoint War Room*

The world is at war once again, this time against two major enemies.

One is the Null Sector, the other is misinformation.

Social media is calling it the Third Omnic Crisis, the majority who believes this is normally the uninformed.

But it is this group that is causing the most damage to the war effort around the world.

Calls and protests for re-elections and reforms, attacks on the media for war mongering and propaganda, their voices scream loudest amongst the sea of statistics and research, confusing the main population.

Many companies have stopped supplying to the army and recruitment has fallen to a staggering 40% across the world, those who volunteered face harassment or even persecution.

All to avoid the "Third War", while in fact they are still trying to win the Second.

Because of this the Null Sector has gained valuable ground, setting up new strongholds that will take years to fully eradicate.

"Dammit!" Morrison shouted, punching the control panels as the United Nation's Army is routed in Kenya. Now the Null Sector have access to almost unlimited solar energy.

"Torbjorn, proceed with caution, the UN Army has retreated, you're on your own" he said.

"Ya gotta be kidding me!" was Torbjorn's angry reply before he cut the call.

Reinhardt and Brigitte are not having much luck in Europe despite calling up their connections they've built over the years, as the Null Sector stretched them far too thinly to be effective.

Very soon the Null Sector will not have to depend fully on Maximilien's support, which will be catastrophic.

"Try to connect to Genji and McCree again, I need their reports!" he barked, making some jump.

Now Winston and Angela are working around the clock to put Lena back into the field, her Chronal Accelerator too damaged to function for more than a few minutes at a time.

Of all his soldiers, why did he had to disable his most active one? Without Lena on the field, different parts of the world have begun to feel her absence.

All because of that Corporal who went AWOL.

"Does not matter, he will be hunted down soon enough" he growled.

"Sir! The Null Sector has begun advancing towards Gibraltar!"

"Show me"

True enough, a sizeable Null Sector army is moving quickly towards their general direction.

"Do you think they know where we are?" Colonel Smith asked nervously.

"No, but they will if we do not do anything"

"What are we going to do?"

"Gather the men, tell them to get ready for a fight" Morrison said as he walked to the door, putting on his and rifle be placed on the table earlier.

"Where are you going sir?" Smith asked, looking up from his notebook.

"I am going give the Null Sector a proper welcome"


	52. Chp 52 - Uncomfortable Alliance - 1

Hi all, hope everyone has been staying healthy?

Sorry that yesterday I did not make any post but work has been hectic recently and I think from now on my posting will become quite random.

The reason for this is that because this is Act 3, I want the quality of the story to be at least better than Act 1 and 2.

So since I don't want to rush this, the posting MAY become once a week if I cannot make a chapter in time.

Thank you all for reading this and I hope that this can be a good journey for all of us.

* * *

*Gibraltar: Watchpoint*

Winston and Angela looked up when the alarm gone off and a squad of mercenaries ran past the door.

"Athena, what's going on?"

"Morrison has gone off to meet the Null Sector head on, Colonel Smith is gathering a strike team to assist"

They looked at each other in shock. Jack is going to face them alone first?

"What's going on?" Lena demanded, woken up by the alarm.

She is now confined in the old Time Chamber that she waited in many years ago until Winston built the Chronal Accelerator.

They waited for a second to answer as she faded within the chamber randomly.

"Null Sector is coming" Winston said when Lena maintained her form for more than a few seconds.

"We have to help him!" she shouted, desperately looking at her anchor on the table.

"Just a little lon-" he began but she faded.

"We have to help him!" she shouted, desperately looking at her anchor on the table.

Angela fought back tears as she watches her friend.

"We will get you back out there soon, just be patient" she managed out but Lena isn't listening. Or rather she couldn't.

To Lena, all she heard was "Patient just out there soon we get back"

"NO! You cannot just leave me here!" she yelled, scared to be left alone in this state.

"Athena please" Winston implored, refocusing his attention on the Accelerator.

Words formed on the screen and Lena read it discouragingly and with extreme difficulty. It is bad enough that she could not hear them properly, but even when it is spelled out for her, it was like reading with dyslexia as the words appeared at random order.

Unable to lie down due to her condition, she tried to find ways to relax but every effort proved useless as the faceless murderers of Emily haunted her.

The plan was so simple.

Avenge Emily and face the consequences later.

All she needed was the targets.

Targets that only Quillion have seen.

"Quillion…" she seethed as her thoughts focused on him.

It is all his fault. If he only did what she asked him to do, none of this would've happened. He just needed to point her to the right direction and that'll be it.

She could almost hear the rage that is building up inside her with each passing minute, to a point that she wants to scream while biting or tearing whatever she could get her hands on.

Grabbing fistfuls of her hair, she groaned in frustration as she paced around the chamber, trying to find a place where she could hide from watchful eyes while wanting to be monitored at the same time.

Looking down, she could see that the Accelerator is still far from being battle ready as Winston still worked tirelessly on it.

"Refreshments" Athena announced, sliding in unwrapped chocolate and various drinks through an automatic door.

She tried grabbing a piece of the chocolate but found it extremely difficult to time it right for her hand to be in the present to grab one of them.

In the end she just gave up and allowed herself to fade around the chamber randomly, too tired to force herself to remain in the present.

"Good thing this chamber's here" she sighed, allowing herself to pass through time randomly.

Unlike losing control of herself outside of the chamber, she will only see the different timelines within the glass.

Various scenes flashed before her as she stood behind the glass. Many times the room is dark and empty, but she will see a glimpse of the old days of Overwatch.

Engineers creating the chamber hastily to contain her after she reappeared from the Slipstream project, the many times Winston and Angela took turns to watch over her, and even Reyes giving little Faheera a tour of the room.

But there are sadder scenes as well, like weeds and grass begun to grow around the room, as if the base has been abandoned for many years. Even once she saw Talon troops invading the base.

However, these images are too fleeting and random to be able to decipher properly, so she kept it all to herself. No point causing panic when there is none.

"Lena?" a faint voice called out, a different voice than the usual clutter.

Curious, she forced herself to remain in this constant, her teeth gritting from the effort.

"I don't know - you can hear -, but - most likely place - think of" he said, echoing.

"Quillion?"

Half of her wanted to leave, to let his message be lost in the void of time, but the other half needed to know what he wanted to say.

True enough, Quillion stood before the glass, a large backpack slung around his shoulders. His eyes are sunken and he wore a complexion as if he is in pain.

Somehow she knew that this was yesterday, just hours before he took off with Lox.

"I can't let – do this, I know – never forgive – but I will – sorry"

Frowning, she sat in the corner away from the glass. It is bad enough she is listening to him, now she has to decipher what he is saying?

"Promise I made – Emily – protect you"

She perked up at the sound of her name.

"Suicide mission – not sure if – means anything"

She looked around frantically, she needed to find something that can help her focus.

He held up a picture and she saw it is the picture Agong was carrying.

"I am going to die, this much I know" he sighed, massaging his arm with the other, trying to keep the picture steady.

"Die?" she thought, making sure Emily's face is in full view for her to focus on.

"I have broken enough promises, this time I will not fail the promise I made to Emily to protect you" he seethed, his tiredness now replaced with rage.

Walking closer to the glass, she could see and hear him clearer now.

"I don't belong here… You are all heroes… I'm just some guy who overslept…" he continued, shaking his head, his face downcast again.

He rests his head against the glass, the constant changing of emotions too taxing for him.

"Which is why you can't go down this road, the world needs you, it does not need me"

As much as she wanted to hate him for what he had done, she could not help but feel a sense of pity for him.

"Quil…" she said.

He looked up in shock, looking around the chamber with frantic eyes.

"You're here? So my plan worked…" he gulped, fear and relief flowed through him, making him drop the picture.

"Good… You're safe… Winston's got you…"

"Where are you going?"

He winced, though he is unable to see her, he could clearly hear her.

"Just stay here, I'll take care of it"

Knowing that he will never tell her, she decided to tell him one more thing.

"Fine, but don't die" she snarled.

He looked at the chamber confusingly.

"Because I'm going to kill you myself"

For the first time since London, he smiled.

"Well… Guess that's something I do deserve"

With that he walked away, but not before he purposefully held up the picture and slip it into a drawer.

Her focus slipped away as she has nothing to focus on, the room melted away and began to be rapidly replaced with various images.

"WINSTON!" she yelled.

He immediately stopped working and looked for her.

"Lena?" he replied.

"Drawer – first shelf – next to door – show it!"

Quickly jumping to the shelf, he was shocked to find a picture in it.

"Since when?" he asked himself.

Holding it up, he saw that Lena's physical body has become slightly clearer than before as she kept her eyes on the picture.

"Thanks luv" she said, picking up a glass of water and drinking it.

"Why did you put the picture in there?"

"Hmm?"

"How else would you know there is a picture there?"

"Doesn't matter… It is only a temporary fix"

"What do you mean?"

"Years ago I found out if I can focus on something, I can stick around a bit longer than usual"

"And when did you plan to tell me this?" Winston asked, slightly annoyed that this piece of information is not shared.

She merely shrugged and picked up a piece of chocolate, occasionally looking at the picture.

"I do have one question… What happened to Agong?"

"Who?"

"The terrorist you are fighting in London, what happened to him?"

"I… Do not know… The moment you called I left the scene" Winston admitted.

* * *

*Italy: Alps*

Lox was rudely awoken from the sounds of terrible coughs, though he kept himself still and eyes shut somehow.

"What's going on?" he thought, trying to get back to sleep.

But the coughing escalated and is now accompanied by someone hastily unzipping a bag.

"Where's Quillion?" he thought.

He opened his eyes by a fraction, too tired and cold to move despite the possibility of an intruder.

To his surprise, it is Quillion who is rummaging through the medkit, a hand over his mouth to stifle the cough.

Lox was about to ask what is going on when he found what he was looking for.

Pulling out one of the Health Packs, he quickly unscrews the top and extracted its contents with a syringe, which he quickly injected into his chest so quickly it looked like he stabbed himself.

Taking a few deep breaths, Quillion's body relaxed. Once the pain is gone, he limped towards the fire and threw the syringe into it.

Hawking, he spat into the fire, to which Lox noticed there is a slight scent of blood in the air.

Cursing, Quillion reached into the bag once again and pulled out one of the scanners from the Medical Bay.

"Status: Seek Immediate Medical Attention, potential life-threatening damages detected" the scanner announced, though muffled by a cloak.

"Great…" he heard Quillion groan as he gathered up everything and place it back into the bag.

Lox is now wide awake, torn between the decision to reveal himself and advise Quillion to stop the mission, or to trust in his so called "enhanced body" to be able to repair the damage.

"He did just inject himself with the Health Pack" he thought.

He was worried when Quillion pulled out another item from the pack but was relieved to see that it is his listening device that Lena found him with.

Putting the earpieces into his ears, Quillion turned up the volume and began singing softly with the music.

We're no strangers to love…

Drifting back to sleep, Lox began to have doubts that that this mission may not be as easy as pitched.

Morning came and Quillion woke him up with a nudge from his feet.

"Wake up, time to move"

He opened his eyes and instantly regretted it as the glare from the ice is unbearable.

"Mind lending me your shades?" he mumbled.

Rolling his eyes, Quillion threw him his pair.

"That's it?" Lox suddenly said out loud.

"What?"

"I've always thought there's some interesting features in here, but all I see is the time and date"

"Sometimes that's all you need"

They collected their things and walked out of the cave, where Sombra is waiting.

"Both of you had a good rest?" Sombra asked, sitting on a boulder.

"What's the plan?" Quillion asked immediately, not wanting to waste any more time.

Sombra was taken aback at his forwardness but quickly shrugged it off to regain control of the situation.

"Easy there amigo, once we-"

"The plan. Now. Or we are leaving" he threatened, his hands ready on his rifle.

"Well, looks like he may be useful after all" Widowmaker said, watching them from afar with her scope.

"Fine, we are going to meet up with one more guy, then we will go after them okay?" Sombra continued, ignoring her.

"Where is he and when?"

"He said he just arrived near the mountain, he will be here within the hour"

After an uncomfortable but brief silence, Quillion relaxed.

"Guess you didn't need to wake up after all" he said to Lox.

"We never told you to wake him up" she said.

"You told us we will only be here for the night, night has gone"

With that, he excused himself by climbing a slope, leaving an annoyed Sombra and Lox alone.

"I'm sorry but… Have we ever met before?" he asked.

"No" she snapped, looking the other direction.

"Oh okay…" he said, looking around awkwardly where he stood.

"Are you sure though?" he asked again, looking back but saw that she had already disappeared.

"What?"

He looked around frantically, not knowing she merely turned invisible where she sat.

"Want me to take care of him?" Widowmaker asked, her crosshairs at his head.

She shook her head.

"You are not becoming soft on me, are you?"

She laughed when Sombra gave her the finger.

Half and hour passed before Quillion came back.

"Any sign of him?" he called out.

"No one, not since you left"

Quillion looked around and sat down across Lox.

"What do you think our chances of success are?" Lox asked, trying to pass the time.

"Things will work out, if not then I'll make it work"

"Really now?" Lox snorted.

They waited a little longer before Lox spoke again.

"You feeling alright there?"

"How do you mean?"

"I mean… You didn't sleep at all last night, was wondering if you are in any pain"

At those words Quillion suddenly stood up, pulling his pistol out of its holster.

"Wait wha-?" Lox began.

Quillion ignored him and advanced, his features dangerous.

"Wait! Stop! I'm sorry alright?!" Lox shouted, cowering before Quillion as he raised his pistol.

"Don't shoot!" Sombra shouted, reappearing out of nowhere.

Too little. Too late.

Bullets barked from his pistol and flew straight into a large man lumbering through the snow, hitting their marks with deadly accuracy, exploding upon impact.

Everyone froze at the sudden violence, staring at the smoking body laid out on the snow.

"What have you done?!" Sombra shouted at him.

"He is not an ally" Quillion said, holstering his pistol.

"Well, I would say the same for you" the man said, sitting back up with a groan.

Angered, Quillion tried to reach for his gun again, but this time Sombra stood in front of him.

"We. Need. Him." she said, emphasizing each word.

"My love? Where are you?" Agong shouted, dusting off the snow and ash off his armor.

"Quiet! Do you want to start an avalanche?" Sombra scolded.

"Why not? We can build a giant snowman!"

"Mon Dieu… Let me kill him please" Widowmaker said.

"Everyone just chill! We just need you all to co-operate for a few days then you can all kill each other!"

"I am not working with a terrorist" Quillion shouted.

"She wants me dead?! Why? Is this what they mean when couples fight for no reason?!" Agong exclaimed in apparent anguish.

Widowmaker gritted her teeth in anger as she places her crosshairs directly at his meaty face, her finger tightening on the trigger.

She could end it all right now…

"Why are you even here? I thought you want to kill her!" Quillion shouted, pointing at Sombra.

"Ahh, you see, I still want to kill her, but my sweetheart asked me not to"

Quillion blinked. No way he can be serious, this had to be a trick.

"You do not believe me? Then truly you have never been in love!" Agong said with a strange air of triumph.

Under normal circumstances, Quillion would've let it slide, but the accusation struck a cord.

"You take that back" he said, this time pulling out a knife.

Agong looked at the knife and merely shrugged.

"Fine fine… I'm tired anyway" he said, raising his hands in mock surrender.

Reluctantly, he sheathed the knife.

"Now that we've introduced ourselves… Can I tell you guys what the plan is?"

He and Agong nodded while Lox remained on the floor, not moving since Quillion fired his weapon.

"Good, the plan is-"

"Where is my love? She should be here" Agong interjected, causing Quillion to reach for his knife again.

Do they really need this man-child?

"She can hear us I assure you"

Agong nodded and pulled out a Snickers bar from his pocket. Soon a loud crunching sound is heard as Sombra finally began her presentation, opening her palm and showing a structure before them.

"Widowmaker will go back to base as usual, she will be our spy inside" Sombra said, a purple stick appearing in the hologram.

"We will be stationed in Pisa to wait for more information regarding our targets"

Quillion waited for her to continue but she didn't, closing her palm and the image disappears.

"That's it? I thought you know where they are!"

"I know where all of them will be, but we cannot take them all on at the same time!"

"I did!"

"You have no idea the luck you had when you faced them"

"You don't even know how I beat them"

"That grenade was pure luck and you know it!"

"I… Wait… How did you know I used a grenade?"

"Uh oh…" Widowmaker said.

Though her features are calm, Sombra panicked, trying to think of a reason until she saw what Lox is wearing.

"The glasses, you think I haven't been watching?"

"I thought you were dealing with the sniper?"

"Multitask amigo"

Accepting the reason, Quillion weighed his options.

All he knew is that the Talon agents are in Italy, but not the city. The way Sombra desc, the three of them seem to be together all the time, so Widowmaker will let them know when is the best time to strike.

"Does this mean the base is somewhere near Pisa? Or is it in Pisa itself?"

At this moment, his best chance to find them quickly will be to follow this group of terrorists and assassins.

"Fine… When shall we depart?"

"How soon can you fly?" Sombra asked Lox.

"A…Anytime…"

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"


	53. Chp 53 - Mission in Egypt - 1

*Egypt: Maximilien's Mansion*

The trio observed the mansion at a distance, laying down on the hot sand to avoid detection.

"Looks like there's a job opening or something" McCree said, observing the line of both humans and Omnics outside of Maximilien's mansion, all dressed in formal wear despite the hot weather, seemingly waiting for the gates to open.

"Or some sort of business meeting" Genji added.

"Either way, some of them are dangerous"

"How can you tell?" McCree said, lighting a cigar, which was promptly knocked away by a pair of binoculars.

"Look at the twins in the middle"

Annoyed, McCree dusted off the sand from the cigar before putting it away and looked.

"There's kinda a lot of people there"

"Can't you spot them McCree? Didn't think losing your arm would take away your precious Deadeye" Genji said smugly.

"Just so you know I have a special bullet just for you" McCree shot back.

"If both of you don't stop arguing, I'm leaving" Ana scolded, snatching the binoculars back.

"But I haven't found 'em yet!" McCree protested.

"Does not matter, you just need to know some of the people down there are dangerous"

"Well, looks like we are not going to break in anytime soon" he said, laying down and adjusted his hat to hide his face from the sun.

"Oh no you don't, you have work to do" Ana said, pushing his hat away with her feet.

"And what would that be?"

"I hear from Jack that you have never met Lacroix after she became who she is today"

"And what does that have to do with this?"

"This could mean that she has never met you as well, therefore we can conclude that Maximilien may not know who you are"

"So?"

"How would you like to become the bodyguard of the most dangerous Omnic in the world?"

"Excuse me?" McCree exclaimed.

"I think that is a great idea" Genji said with a hint of glee.

"Hey now, just because she never seen me don't mean I'm off the hook! Reyes would've said something!"

"I know Gabriel, he isn't the talkative type and he is sleeping back at camp, which leaves Lacroix, who happens to be out of the picture now"

McCree stared at both of them, they could not be serious?

"Look, I know that everyone now is a bit excited, but let's just hold our horses for a minute. I know what danger is alright? I have a 60 million dollar bounty on my head for years now, and this, this just takes the cake"

"It is because of that bounty Maximilien would be more interested to hire you" Ana replied.

"No, I ain't doing this"

"The gates are opening, it is now or never" Genji said, looking down at the crowd entering the mansion.

"Do you have a better idea?"

"Yes! I can think of hundreds that is far better than this!"

"No time, go"

Every fibre of his being wanted to say no, to stay where he is and convince them to think of another plan. But under the stern gaze of his old Captain, he complied by reflex.

"Just so you know, I go down with protest" he said angrily as he dusts off the sand from his clothes.

"Don't worry, Genji and I will be close by"

As he checks his revolver, she handed him a small sticker.

"Put this in your mouth, you can talk to us through this and we will hear everything you say"

Taking the long way around, he made sure that he approached the mansion from a different direction.

"This how Caveman felt when I ordered him around?" he thought, remembering their 'adventures' around America just a few months back.

"Are you sure this is going to work Captain?" Genji asked.

"Well, I am sure he can take care of himself" Ana said confidently, trailing him through her scope.

"Hmm, that was when he had his arm"

"Think about it this way, he was in Blackwatch like you, left when it was exposed, lived the life of an outlaw, and now is planning to be hired by a crime lord"

"Still, he was with Overwatch"

"Was. He didn't even join your efforts in Paris, only Gabriel and Lacroix would know his intentions now, so he should be fine"

McCree reached the gates and joined the last few people at the end of the queue, his eyes scanning for potential dangers.

"Hmm… He seems pretty confident of his security" McCree thought when he could not see any guards or defenses, almost as if he just opened the doors and allowed random people in.

But he knew better. Machine or not, he could almost feel the many eyes watching their every move.

Crossing through the doors, he could not help but let out a loud whistle.

"Well this isn't what I've expected"

Through the doors held open by Omnics, it stretched along a long hallway towards a large hall that is divided into two floors, covered by rich red expensive carpets matching the gold walls. Hanging from above was a massive chandelier that looks about the size of a giraffe and a buffet of exotic food that has been laid out. McCree briefly wondered how much of this is off the profits of

"Excuse me, are you here for business or pleasure?" an Omnic butler asked.

"I'm here to sign up as a gun for the boss" he replied, causing the Omnic to flinch a little at his crude choice of words.

"Right this way sir" it said.

Leading him to the lower floor, he realized that it is this floor where most of the guests are armed. He even saw one with a rocket launcher.

"Please make yourself at home, Maximilien will be with you shortly"

"Thank you kindly" McCree said, plopping himself on a nearby couch and place a boot on it.

"Is there… Anything else I can assist you with?"

"Nah I think I'm good, thanks a bunch, lightbulb" he said, pulling out his flask and waited until the angered Omnic walked away.

"I'm in, looks like we're waiting for him to greet us" he whispered before taking a swing.

"Copy that" he heard her reply.

He repressed a shudder at the reply, she did not warn him about the vibration it'll cause.

"Anything else to report?"

"Nah, though I think I see your twins" he said, spotting the only pair in the room. The only way to tell them apart is that one of them is wearing glasses.

"Careful, especially the one with the eyepiece" Ana warned.

Before he could reply, the chandelier dimmed and the room became surprisingly dark. Silence followed and everyone watched as Maximilien walked out to greet his guests.

"My dear beloved guests, I am so glad that you can take the time to…"

"Blah blah blah" McCree yawned, drinking again from his flask.

"Quiet, I want to hear what he has to say" Genji said.

"Suit yourself"

As expected, it was nothing more than a political mumbo jumbo thank you very much and I do you favors speech.

"Charming" he commented when the speech is finally over.

He waited until Maximilien finished talking to the businessmen before he made his way towards him.

"Stop" a hulking guard said, holding up its arm against McCree.

"Hey now, don't be like that, I'm just looking for work!"

Maximilien turned around and studied him curiously.

"You seem to have an interesting method to introduce yourself Mr…?"

"Name's McCree, you may have heard of me?"

"Ah yes, the outlaw with the 60 million bounty" he said after a short pause.

"That's the one! So like I was saying-"

"Such a paltry sum if I dare say so" Maximilien finished with a laugh.

"Paltry? I think you got some screws loose in there bub"

He could hear Ana and Genji groaning but he ignored them, staring into Maximilien's eyes with such cockiness that some bystanders stopped to watch.

For a while Maximilien said nothing before finally, he chuckled.

"You are a funny one… You said you are looking for work correct?"

"That's why I'm here"

Still chuckling, Maximilien nodded the bodyguard next to him and motioned McCree to come closer.

"Here, please wait until I speak to every delegate here then I will give you a call" he said, handing over a card.

"Thank you kindly" McCree said, accepting the card gratefully.

As he watch them walk away, he looked down and saw that even he could appreciate the design on the card. When he looked up, he saw that he had attracted quite a crowd, even some are pushing each other to look at the card in his hand.

"What did he give you?" Genji asked.

"Now this is a purty looking card" he said, flipping it around.

"What's on it?"

"Looks like it's showtime in an hour, I should grab some grub" he said loudly, putting the card away and pushed past the crowd.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

McCree said nothing, going over to the table and ordered himself a burger.

"What show?"

"Common, I said I want a burger, not this lil sandwich" he complained, handing back the burger to the chef.

"McCree! What show? I think this thing is broken"

"Don't you know how to cook a burger? Common let me show you" he said, jumping to the back and pushed the chef away.

Ignoring its protest, he grabbed a fistful of mince and began mixing them.

"McCree? What's going on?" now Ana's turn to ask.

Slapping the slab of meat onto the grill, the sound of sizzling beef fills the table.

"Max has an opening for three guards, looks like he wants to see what we can do" he said quickly, hiding his face with his hat while looking down.

"Good, earn his trust and we can try to find an opportunity to take him down"

"You sure you can't just run in here and kill him now?" McCree asked, flipping the patty and threw in some onions, rekindling the loud sizzle.

"No, he must have many escape routes and we only have one chance. We only have one chance and I do not plan to waste it"

Sighing, McCree threw in some cheese and fried the buns.

"I guess I'll play along for now then" he said, tipping his hat towards some ladies looking at him.

"Make sure you get hired, you are our only ticket to Max now"

"Roger that Cap"

Reaching over to the vegetables, he dressed his burger and looked at it proudly.

Between the crispy buns is a big juicy, medium style patty smothered in cheese, accompanied with crunchy lettuce, tomatoes, grilled onions, and a pickle. To add some extra flavors, he threw in a dash of mustard and mayonnaise.

"Now that. That's a burger" he said, showing it to the annoyed chef before taking a large bite out of it.

Wolfing down the rest of the burger, McCree lay down on a sofa and waited for the hour to pass, which crawled by. He did notice that the crowd grew smaller and smaller as people began to leave.

Soon, only the heavily armed people and Omnics stayed behind, observing one another as they wait.

"Excuse me, Mr McCree?"

He looked up and saw it was the butler from earlier.

"What can I do ya for?"

"I was told that you received an invitation from Master Maximilien?"

Pulling it out, he flick it towards the Omnic, who manage to catch it smoothly.

"Fast" McCree thought.

"Everything is in order, shall we?"

"Lead the way"

He could feel every eye staring at him as he walks past them.

"I take it that the invitation ain't for everyone?"

"No, you are the only one who received it"

"Well, ain't I the lucky one" McCree said, placing his hand near his revolver at all times.

* * *

*Outskirts of Algeciras*

The mercenaries exited their shuttles in unison, their weapons hungry for action as they scanned their surroundings as the sound of an unseen battle flooded their ears.

They fanned out in a disciplined manner as the shuttles leave, their squad leaders quickly marking their rendezvous point as they disappear into the forests.

Unlike before, they brought heavy weapons specifically designed to fight the Null Sector. Cold cannons, electrical and plasma rifles, crack grenades, automatic turret discs and more.

Used correctly, these men can easily take on multiple opponents with apparent ease. Now its full strength will meet an army.

Even the medics have a new tool, a barrier launcher that could project a temporary shield similar to Brigitte's, and a new Biotic Gas Grenades, though that is only useful for fighting in enclosed environments.

At first, they moved with caution, but it soon became apparent that the battle is constantly moving further away from them with each passing moment.

When they reach the first rendezvous point, an impressive sight met their eyes.

Scattered across a field, a few Behemoths and squads of Nulltroopers lay broken, their bodies still smoking.

"Are there elements of the Spanish Army in the area?" one of the Sergeants asked.

The others shook their heads, each have personally studied the maps with their own squads in case they are killed before they reach their objectives, ensuring that everyone will know where to go, and the Spanish Army is well out of this particular part of the forest.

"The Commander did this?" one wondered out loud.

No one answered, partly because the answer is obvious, but also because they do not like the idea that a mere man can be this much more powerful than they could ever be, even if he is the 'perfect' soldier.

The further in they march, the more destruction they saw. Groups upon groups of machines lay destroyed on the ground, the vegetation around them absolutely obliterated by plasma repeaters.

The most eerie part is that there is no evidence of their attackers. It was as if they were spooked by a ghost and fired at all directions before they were destroyed.

On and on, the destruction stretched far and beyond their expectations, humbling each man who is confident in his abilities.

However, the battle continues to frustrate them as it seemingly moves away from them, as if it does not want them to join the fight.

It was then they receive a new rendezvous point. A small canyon just a few kilometers away from their location. It also came with a message.

"Hurry"

Doubling their pace, they ran quickly to the point and realize that it is a perfect ambush position, which they quickly set up.

With clear sights to the narrow passageway into the canyon, they waited.

And waited.

Then finally, the ground shook and gunfire grew steadily louder towards their location.

It was then Morrison sprinted into view, his appearance itself bought the respect of the mercenaries who saw him.

Covered in soot, the only visible part of Morrison are his iconic red visors, which now gave an even more menacing look and his jacket is now filled with holes.

But his posture remained strong and committed, thrusting a hand into the air, he quickly signals each group scattered around the area, shocking them that he could spot them so easily.

Positioning himself in the middle of the canyon, he slapped in a new cartridge and threw a Biotic Field onto the ground.

A few seconds passed and the Null Sector walked right into the trap.

Seemingly without thought or a miscalculation, the Omnics marched in and concentrated their fire at Morrison, who fought back with incredible skill, narrowly dodging so many shots that it looked like it was scripted.

More and more marched in and the men looked on anxiously, their fingers on the trigger, ready to fire the moment Morrison gives the signal.

Finally, the main target appeared.

Though not strictly a Titan class war machine, it is still a sizeable opponent. Striding into the battle on three legs, it unleashed its payload at its target.

Morrison barely escaped the explosion and fired back. The men watched on, all weapons trained at the massive target.

"Common… Give the signal…" one Sergeant growled in the coms.

Luring it deeper, Morrison frustrated its systems by denying it the kill.

Firing the third salvo of rockets, it finally caught up with the Commander, exploding at his feet and he disappeared in a cloud of dust.

"Fire!"

The canyon exploded in a brilliant shower of lights. In the chaos, the Omnics looked around confusingly as they tried to assess the situation, but no mass produced processor could make a conclusion in time before it shattered into pieces.

The heaviest weapons however were concentrated at the war machine, its barriers just able to save it from immediate destruction. To its credit it did aim its weapons at one of the groups, before a freezing beam froze its joints, leading to its downfall.

Afterwards it was like shooting fish in a barrel as the area is wiped clean from sentient machines as the men destroyed them with a passion.

However, it is not over as the Null Sector continued to pour into the canyon. Without the element of surprise, the men took great care not to expose themselves too quickly to the enemy.

"Medics! Get down there and find the Commander!"

Sliding down the slopes, they launch their barriers and looked around, desperate and fearful to find the body, but they could not.

"This is Commander Morrison, Hammer and Anvil"

With little time to ponder how he survived, the men reposition themselves quickly, forming a wall of guns against the attackers, holding them in place.

"Anvil formed Commander, ready for the Hammer, do you need coordinates?"

"No need, I've got them in my sights"

Because the Omnics have little to no morale, his objective is simple. First establish a distraction. Second, search and destroy.

Charging from the rear, Morrison activated his Tactical Visor and ran into the Null Sector lines, his Pulse Rifle growing hotter by the minute as it ceaselessly fires.

The firefight only lasted about half and hour with no casualties for Overwatch, though most of the credit is given to Morrison, as his presence prevented the Omnics from fighting efficiently.

"Fall in, here!" he ordered, to which his soldiers responded immediately.

"Another battalion is coming this way and we are going to turn it to scrap"

They looked at him in awe. Each of them are, at the very least, so sweaty that their clothes are glued to their skin. Morrison isn't even out of breath.

"Any questions?"

"Don't you need to rest sir? Get yourself checked out?" one of the medics said.

"I'm just getting started. Move out"

"If I may sir, shouldn't we reinforce this location and wait for them to come to us?"

"They know there is an ambush here now, we take the fight to them" he said curtly.

"Very good sir, when should we expect them?"

Just as the words leave his mouth, heavy marching trembled the ground again.

"All of you have a minute, at my signal, we attack"

The Null Sector marched on confidently. The Skirmishers and artillery barrage have bombarded the canyon into a flatland, there is no possible way that any humans would even think of putting up any resistance.

Almost without warning, the leading Behemoth and the rear guard exploded into a shower of metal.

"Attack!"

Morrison led the charge straight into the middle of the Omnics, slicing the battalion into two. A quick but brutal close range combat assumed, so close that the Skirmishers merely floated over the battle, trying to find targets, making them easy targets for snipers.

It did not take them long before the battalion itself is nothing more than a smoking heap.

Again and again they struck the Null Sector, each attack more creative than the last. Combine that with their advance weaponry and training, victory was almost guaranteed every time.

But Morrison knew that they were only delaying the inevitable, as long as they are receiving funding from Maximilien or if they set up solar generators in Africa, they will never stop coming.

Doubling his attempts to destroy all Null Sector presence from Algericas quickly, he became a weapon of war, fully utilizing every perfected skill and tactics he possessed, desperate to buy time for others to find out where in the world the Talon base is.


	54. Chp 54 - Uncomfortable Alliance - 2

Well that's embarrassing, I uploaded an incomplete chapter, so I apologize for those who read the story.

Good news is that the "changes" are mostly at the end of the chapter so easier for many to find, the other slight change is the conversation between Lena and Angela.

* * *

*Gibraltar: Overwatch*

Wiping off a thin layer of sweat from his brow, Winston nodded to one of the engineers next to him.

They began attaching wires and drilling pieces into place, just as they rehearsed for the past hour, their hands expertly moving as Lena watched anxiously.

As they worked, she realized that the Accelerator began taking a new shape.

It looked smaller, sleeker, and even seem to have some armor plating on it, even her vambraces is halved in size.

Dying to ask about the new look, she bit her lip and waited even after they step back from the table.

There are a few times she faded from the present, but with her focus entirely on her seemingly upgraded chestpiece, she found herself anchored more consistently.

Drilling in the final piece, Winston flipped a switch.

Strong blue light emitted from the orb and Lena felt herself 'fall' to the ground. Her knees buckling under her weight as she was almost weightless for a day.

She watched as they read the many graphs and numbers presenting on the screens and felt relieved when their worried look become smiles.

"We did it? We did it!" Winston cheered, followed closely by the other scientists.

Even Lena couldn't help but smile, finally she can get out of here.

"Winston, why does it look different?" she asked.

"We made some adjustments for you, not only it is more powerful, it is far better protected than before!"

"That's great! Strap that thing on me now and let's get going!" Lena said excitedly.

"Soon, we still need to make some adjustments"

Barely able to contain her excitement, Lena paced around in the chamber.

"Lena?"

She look at the side and saw Angela with the headset on, pushing the mic closer to her lips so she could whisper into the chamber.

"This is great, isn't it Angie? We can go help Jack soon and-"

"Is that all you want to do?"

Lena stopped pacing and looked at her, realizing what she is asking.

"I don't know what you mean"

"You've always been a bad liar"

Lena looked at her friend and sighed.

"How did you know?"

"I saw your list and what you are packing, anyone can guess what you were planning to do"

She broke eye contact and sat on the bed, an action unnoticed by the others as they made adjustments.

"I had to Angie, I can't just let Emily die like that"

"Must violence always be the solution?"

Lena snapped a look at her, who looked back with sad eyes.

"You wouldn't understand"

"No, no I don't, but I've seen what happened to those who did what you were going to do"

"And?"

"I can't let you do it"

At those words Lena's anger flared.

"Why is everyone telling me what to do? You can't tell me what to do!" she shouted, making everyone in the room jump.

"Please Lena, just a moment longer" Winston begged, thinking she is mad about their adjustments.

She didn't hear him, keeping her eyes on Angela who looked back with those same, aggravatingly sad eyes.

"I don't need your permission, it's my life and I choose where it's going!"

"Even if it is wrong?"

"People make right and wrong mistakes everyday, but what you plan to do is unacceptable"

"For you!"

"For everyone"

"Not for Emily!"

"She wouldn't want you to do this!"

"Then she's wrong!"

Lena blinked as the words left her mouth, each syllable echoed in her ear. Deep down she knew Angela is right, Emily too have dedicated her life to save lives, never to take them, regardless what happens.

She has always been able to see the good in people.

But the bitterness remains, the anger remains, the unjust remains. The need for revenge still presses onto her like someone place a heavy stone on her chest.

Emily has never seen war, nor known war, would she have change her tune if she knew how evil humanity can truly go?

However the idea of a bloodthirsty Emily hellbent on revenge, even for a moment, hurts...

"What should I do?" Lena asked in a hushed tone.

"We are going to find them, once we do then we will think of the next step" Angela replied sincerely.

"Ahem... The adjustments are done, would you like to try it on?"

"Great! Strap that on me and let's get moving!" Lena said, trying to force back a cheerful mood in the sombre room.

"And where do you plan to go?" Angela asked.

Before she even finished speaking, a soldier ran into the room, panting.

"Morrison and the squads with him are pinned down! They need immediate assistance!"

"Get my gear, we are leaving now" Winston said.

"Wait! If they're pinned down, it must mean it's a large force eh? You're gonna need me to help ya out!"

Winston and Angela looked at each other before nodding.

The chamber hissed and the door slide open, allowing Lena to finally exit the chamber.

"Ahh... That's better" she said, stretching out her arms and taking in a deep breath of air.

"Lena, before we put this on you, you must know that this is far more powerful than your old Accelerator" Winston warned.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'll explain on the way, just don't Blink around us when you put it on"

"Why? What's going to happen?"

* * *

*Italy: City of Pisa*

"Common now, cheer up! Have a slice!"

Quillion looked at him in disgust, it is bad enough they have to wait in Pisa, now they have to actually spend time with a terrorist.

"No? How about you pilot? A slice?" Agong offered, licking his hand before helping himself to another slice by digging his fingers in the middle of the pizza.

"I'll pass thanks" Lox said, equally disgusted.

"More for me!"

Forced to sit in a public pizzeria that must have a view of the Tower of Pisa, they tried to ignore many eyes staring at them.

If this is anyone else but Agong, they would've left him alone, but given his great strength and recklessness, they needed their combined strength to look after him.

"Are you sure we need him?" Quillion growled.

"Trust me, I don't like this better than you do" Sombra sighed, her face pale just from watching him eat.

"I still don't even know why I'm here" Lox complained.

Widowmaker has already departed for Talon base and now they are waiting for her report.

"Look at that? I mean, how could they've made that?" Agong shouted, pointing a greasy finger at the tower.

"Can you please... Not talk with your mouth full?" Quillion said in an almost begging tone.

"Full? This isn't full, this is full!" Agong laughed before stuffing another slice into his already occupied mouth and leaned forward, forcing them to see every detail.

Sombra gagged and ran to the bathroom.

"Wha 'er 'oblem?" Agong muffled before swallowing.

Gritting his teeth, Quillion said nothing. This man isn't even worth his breath.

"Common, relax! We are in Italy! We need to eat as much pizzas as we can stuff in Pizza!"

"It's Pisa! P-I-S-A you uncultured pig!" Quillion shouted, his patience finally snapped, grabbing a knife on the table and threw his chair away.

All eyes rest upon Quillion, holding their breath. Though they fear that a fight would occur, they secretly hoped that he would cut the big man into pieces.

Unfazed, Agong slowly bit into another slice.

"Tomato tomato, does it even matter? Why are you taking things so seriously?"

"We are not on vacation and we should be preparing for what comes next!"

"Hey, just because you don't enjoy live does not mean I shouldn't"

"Then enjoy it while it lasts because I'm killing you last" Quillion threatened.

"What did you say your name was?" Agong ask, swallowing purposefully.

"Why would you want to know?"

"So I can enjoy the moment when I kill you"

"Why don't you tell me yours and then I'll tell you mine?"

"Now now… I asked you first…" Agong said, cracking his knuckles.

"Quil!" Lox whispered desperately, his eyes darting between them frantically.

Quillion broke eye contact and looked at Lox, who motions to their surroundings. Looking around, he saw that some people have their devices out.

"Looks like we are going to be famous" Agong smiled, waving at one of them.

"Put these on, now!" Quillion ordered hastily, throwing Lox a hat and his jacket at Agong.

"You can't tell me what to do! I do whatever I want to do!"

"Put it on!" he raged, the words somehow forced Lena's face back into his mind.

"No!"

That was the last straw.

With a shout of frustration, Quillion leapt over the table to cover his face with the jacket. Or smother him with it, it doesn't matter to him at this point.

But before he could even reach the large man, he found himself crashing into the table next to them. Confused, he looked at Agong who have his hand stretched out, as if he just smacked him to the side.

"Huh, you're lighter than I thought little man, thought you can disappear like the Biru Hantu" he taunted, grabbing another slice.

Biru Hantu…

The words jogged his memory. This is the third time he has heard someone else use that description.

The first time he heard that was in the drug den, then in London, now here again.

"Where are you from…?" Quillion asked slowly.

Agong did not expect that. His jaw dropped in confusion momentarily before he collected himself.

"Why don't you take a guess" he said playfully.

"Tell me!"

"I'm in a good mood, how about I sing you it's anthem as a hint?" Agong said, clearing his throat.

Before Quillion could protest, Agong sang the first two lines.

_Negaraku,_

_Tanah tumpahnya darahku_

"Now if you can guess where I'm from, I'm willing to forgive and-"

He stopped when he saw the shock and horror on Quillion's face.

"Hmm... This was supposed to be a casual game, this man has no chill" he thought to himself, frowning.

"Fine, if you're not going to answer, I'm not going to play this game any lon-"

_Rakyat hidup,_

_Bersatu dan maju…_

For the first time in his life, Agong was speechless.

Never. Has anyone else but his community knows that song.

Never has any outsider has ever even finish the first stanza since its destruction.

Sure, some museum or library would play that song upon request but... This man in front of him does not look like any old librarian that he has ever met.

"Who are you?" he asked in wonder.

"You first…"

"My name is Agong. There. Your turn"

Unspeakable anger filled Quillion when he heard the name, jumping back to his feet and pulled his pistol, causing some bystanders to gasp.

"You lie! You are not the Agong!" he roared, his pistol shaking in his grip.

Agong is now filled with genuine shock.

"You know what it means?"

"I swore my loyalty to all Agongs, and you… You are not one of them!"

"What?"

"All my friends did not die for you!" he continued, squeezing the trigger.

"What's going on?" Sombra shouted, running back into the room.

The moment she saw what is going on, she sprang into action.

_Apagando las luces!_

The room was flooded with a flash of purple as the EMP exploded from her body, shutting everything in the restaurant down, including Omnic waiters and customers collapsed to the floor.

Quillion almost yelled in frustration when his weapon did not fire, its mechanisms shut down by the EMP.

"Stupid Torbjorn made..." he thought bitterly.

"I leave the room for one minute and this is what happens?!" Sombra scolded.

The two men continued to stare at each other, oblivious to what is happening around them.

"Common, vamonos" she said quickly, pulling Lox up from the floor, who fell when he saw purple.

When they did not move, she threw a glass to the floor, catching their attention.

"Now!"

They both nodded and grabbed their things.

No one stopped them, no one dared as they allowed the strange group to pass, unaware that their devices are being hacked as they walk by, all files erased forever.

As they made their way back to their hotel, Quillion notice that Agong kept staring at him, as if fascinated by something.

He tried to ignore it but after a few minutes of constant staring, he had enough.

"Look if you want to go, let's go" he said, confronting him with a fighting stance.

"What's your name?" he asked again.

"Haven't you both caused enough trouble?" Sombra interrupted.

"If I tell you my name, will you stop staring?"

"No promises"

"Enough!" Sombra shouted, trying to get it under control.

"Guys, I think we should all just step back and think about what's going to happen" Lox joined, trying to ease the situation "If both of you start fighting, word will get out, when word gets out, Talon will know where we are"

"Exactly, so can both of you just chill?"

"No" they both responded at the same time.

"Children! I'm working with children!" Sombra lamented, throwing her arms up into the air.

"Hey don't blame me, you hired us" Agong countered.

"She didn't hire me, I needed her resources" Quillion said firmly.

"Needed my resources? What you're the one using me now?" Sombra shouted back angrily.

"What's that supposed to mean? You trying to use us?"

"Don't forget it was you who went looking for me amigo!"

"I only came because my love asked me to" Agong added in unnecessarily.

"Guys! Can we do this elsewhere?" Lox begged, looking around fearfully at some tourists who are looking at them.

"Give me the name!"

"It's Quillion. There. Happy?"

Agong gasped loudly, confusing the others.

"Quillion what?" he asked excitedly.

"What?"

"A number! You have a number right?!"

Quillion stared. How could he possibly know that?

"Its-"

Suddenly he felt as if his heart has stopped, literally. The pain forced him onto his knees. Tears of pain poured out from his eyes as he fights back the shock.

"What did you do to him?" Lox asked loudly.

"Bag... I need the bag..." Quillion managed out, his hands over his heart.

"Take him back to the hotel, quickly!" Sombra ordered.

Agong quickly nodded and bent down, scooping him from the ground in a strangely respectful manner and ran towards the hotel, the others following close behind.

Thankfully the hotel was only a block away.

* * *

*Italy: Hotel*

Kicking the door open, Agong place the now convulsing Quillion onto the floor as Lox rummaged through their bags.

"Quickly!" Sombra ordered.

"Here!" Lox shouted, finally digging out a Health Pack.

After a series of arguments, shouting and borderline begging, Lox finally was able to stab the syringe into his chest and inject the medicine, causing Quillion to cough for a moment before passing out.

"Will he live?" Sombra asked.

"Of course he will! He is a Quillion!" Agong said loudly but with some concern.

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Wait, you've been walking around with someone who has a name like 'Quillion' and never bother to ask what a strange name that is?"

"Everyone has their own name" Sombra said, shrugging.

"Oh no... Not this one... This man... This man right here is the stuff of legends"

They both look at Agong in disbelief, but they could not detect any lies in his childish eyes.

"You both don't believe me?" he asked.

"Sorry, but you aren't really the best source of information" Sombra said, to which Lox nodded in agreement.

"Fine, tell me this, have you ever seen him in action?"

"Maybe just a little"

"Which one is he? Was the he one with a parang? A machete, was he using a machete?"

She shook her head.

"Did he use grenade launchers and blow everything up?"

"Nope"

"He is the doctor right? That's why he has this bag?"

"I never see him with it until recently" Lox said.

Agong stared. Then his lips stretched to a wide smile.

"I can't believe it… I can't believe it!" he said quickly, glancing once more towards the bed.

"Believe what?"

"Zero! You got Quillion Zero into our team?" he shouted, his eyes alive with awe.

"Who is he? And how did you guess his last name?" Lox quizzed.

"He is the leader of the greatest soldiers Malaysia has ever seen!"

Sombra raised her hand, stopping him while the other is pressing something in the air.

"Widowmaker's calling"

"My love! You finally called!" Agong shouted, making them all jump.

The assassin's expression went from blank to annoyed at those words.

"Sombra, may I speak to you privately?" she requested.

"Gladly... Don't say anything else until I come back" Sombra demanded before going into the other room.

"I can't believe it! A Quillion in my lifetime!" Agong said giddily, almost skipping when he walk to the fridge.

Lox still couldn't believe it.

Sure Quillion may have some skills but he is in no way shape or form comparable to the others in Overwatch, heck he couldn't even scratch Reinhardt or Morrison, even McCree had to save him that one time he ran through the town in the nude.

Looking at Agong, he saw that the man is now looking at Quillion with a sense of respect, maybe even a hint of reverence. And its bugging him.

"Err... Agong... I don't think this man is who you think he is" he said carefully.

"I know... It is hard to accept that a legend live among us" Agong said with almost mocking kindness, slapping his greasy hand on his shoulder.

"Let's just say what you are saying is true, does this change anything?" Lox asked, hopeful that a legendary status would make the man more... Tame...

"Oh yes... Now I'm really going to enjoy killing him when he wakes up"

* * *

Ensuring the door is locked, Sombra resumed the call.

"Anything to report?"

"No one is at base, Talon HQ has never been more vulnerable"

"What? Where did they all go?"

"I don't know, even Ogundimu is not here"

Sombra thought for a moment. Everything is too easy, there is no way this is happening.

"Alrighty, keep me posted, and as your reward..."

Sombra pressed a few keys and a file was sent to Widowmaker.

Her features grew angry at the thought of being 'rewarded' like a dog, but the need to know who this Lacroix surpasses her pride.

"Once you're done with that, do me a favor and help me dig up how the so called Revolution is actually going"

"Can't you just hack into the systems and find out for yourself?"

"I'm a bit... Pre-occupied here" Sombra admitted.

* * *

When Sombra return to the other room, she felt the air is heavy with fear and shock.

"Alright, what did you both do this time?" she sighed.

"He said he is going to kill Quillion" Lox said quickly, pointing at Agong, who is watching the man sleep.

"Tell me something I don't know..."

"No! He is really going to do it!"

"Agong... Tell me why you want to kill him this time" Sombra asked in a mocking tone, as if asking a puppy.

"Because he is the one who killed my father"


	55. Chp 55 - Deal with the Devil

*Russia: Volskaya Industries*

Katya could not help but smile as her staff read off the charts on the projector, each equally excited to present unbelievable results.

Surpassing their quotas, even decades long targets, their results skyrocketed off the charts. Never before have the factory churned out so many mechs since they bought over all their competition, never before do they have so many buyers, private or not, local or abroad, demanded so much from them.

All because of a little propaganda.

Broadcasted across the country, the Executioner's rampage has rekindled the fighting spirit of the exhausted population in Russia.

Played again and again everywhere is the hero Zarya, who fought on despite the tragic loss of her legs to protect the lands of Russia. For them.

Combining state of the art technology and her ferocity, they watch as she singlehandedly held the line and even strike fear into the unfeeling machines, cutting down thousands of Omnics.

Pictures that were edited to capture the fearsome spirit of a warrior in her sweat covered face, it filled every available site it could fill, soon everyone, young and old, knows about her struggle against the enemy.

However, the propaganda ends in a risky way. It always ends in a somewhat tragic way. Regardless of her struggles, the Omnics will keep coming.

Alone she could only hold, but will never be victorious. More people are needed to help her. More people are needed to bring victory for their hero. More are needed to join the fight.

Even the viral "Third Omnic Crisis" reports are swiftly brushed aside as the Russian Army found itself filled with new recruits, the majority signing up to become a Mech pilot.

Soon the skies are filled with drills and training despite the promises that they will only use the airspace over the airports, who are more than happy to "rent" it out since they were shut down by the wars.

Even overseas there is high demand for their products, South Korea being the only exception. Those who can afford it desperately bought as much as their reserves could manage, especially the United Nations, who desperately needed an upgrade.

All because of a little propaganda.

With newfound wealth and popularity, they bought over other companies with the pretense of joining ventures or by the 'encouragements' of the Russian military, only to carve them into the Volskaya machine, those who resisted found themselves bought out or fired.

Now the only manufacturer of Mechs in the entirety of Russia, Volskaya Industries was revolutionized.

Katya could not have been happier.

Before she is known as Russia's most powerful woman.

Now she is the world's most powerful woman.

"… and we are looking at a minimum, 300% growth for the next 8 years" the presenter concluded, earning a small applause from the attendees.

"Excellent, I thank you all for what you had done" Katya said as she stood up.

"But, I do not believe that we have reached the plateau that Volskaya deserves"

Surprised eyes looked at each other as she continued.

"It is true that we have reached unseen heights, but I want to be as mighty as the very Svyatogors itself. I want everyone to fear the very mention of Volskaya when they speak"

The table said nothing, trying to figure if they've misheard or she misspoke. Did she mean the company or herself?

"Our next step is to break into the Korean market, what is the status of buying the production and trade rights there?"

"We have met… Heavy resistance to our offers. They say that they prefer to maintain their current models and does not require any external assistance"

"Unacceptable!" Katya shouted, shocking everyone with the sudden change in emotions.

"I want those rights on my table by next week, each day we delay means millions lost, do you understand?!"

"Y-yes Madam Volskaya, forgive me I-"

"I want results, not apologies" she snarled, shutting the man up.

"Listen to me, all of you… We are no longer a single company… We are a collection of hundreds of companies… Each day is millions made or loss, we should never, ever, make a loss, understand?"

She dismissing the table once she sees they nodded, she sat behind her desk and looked at the reports again, reading and re-reading her net profits, which are in the tens of millions.

"More…" a voice in her head said "We can still make more…"

Looking at the expenses, she notice an item listed that made her blood boil.

"I thought I told you that we do not have the budget for charity work anymore?" she asked her secretary whom she called to the office.

"I… I am sorry but I thought-"

"Let me ask you again, did I not tell you that we have used up our budget for charity work?"

"But… Volskaya have supported this charity since the beginning… Since we have earned so much I thought-"

"So you are making the financial decisions now?" Katya asked angrily.

"It was only a thousand dollars… They were begging and-"

"The budget was 800 dollars per year, no exception"

"But-"

"You do not realize that thousand could've earned us millions? Hmm? Did you seriously not realize that?"

The secretary said nothing, merely hanging her head in disbelief and shame.

Katya was about to continue her tirade when her bracelet shook, a call from one of the departments.

"Saved by the bell" she commented as she dismissed her secretary with a wave before answering.

"What?"

"Comrade Zarya is on the line, she brings news from the front, shall I connect?"

Katya blinked. It took her a moment to remember who he is talking about.

"Put her on"

Soon the sound of heavy breathing and muffled metals grinding fill her ear.

"Katya… Finally…" Zarya panted.

"What's going on? What happened?"

"I destroyed the last jammer in the city… I need help"

A loud clang and gunfire took over the call, as if she is fighting something large.

"The Executioner is damaged and I'm running low on ammo, I need an extraction"

Katya froze at those words.

The invincible Executioner is damaged?

"Damaged how?"

"A Titan clip me real good…. I need to extract now!"

Her mind race at those words, it will be bad PR if the public finds out that their best creation can't handle a few Omnics.

"I'll try to see if I can find something to pick you up tomorrow…"

"I need to extract now! Weren't you listening?!" Zarya shouted.

'Are you sure you cannot hold out for another day?" she asked tentatively.

"What are you talking about?! Get me out of here!"

Another string of gunfire.

"This is bad' Katya thought to herself, she needs more time for her team to think of a story to spin this around.

"Alright, I will send someone over to get you" she lied.

"Finally!"

The call was cut off and a steady beep of her coordinates blinked in front of her.

Cursing she threw her bracelet across the room and paced angrily.

Why now? Of all the times she could get herself in trouble, why now?

"Should've gotten a better pilot" she seethed under her breath.

Maybe they could spin this? Maybe they can try to portray her as some martyr? Tragic war hero?

"Tsk tsk tsk, didn't think you to become someone like this amiga"

Katya tripped over her feet, looking around frantically as she looks for the source of the voice. This is the last person she wants to talk to now.

"Oh don't be so dramatic, is this a way to greet your friend?"

She tried to run to the door but stopped when the automatic locks clicked.

Projectors buzzed alive and Sombra appeared in the middle of the room.

"I like what you've done with the security, so much tighter, but… Nothing is too tight for me"

"Wh… What do you want?" she asked, hating herself that she is involved with this hacker.

"Wow! You've been busy" Sombra said, pulling out all confidential files to read.

"Stop that!" Katya begged but was ignored.

"Look at this! Millions of dollars in the bank? Embodiment of Russia? Most powerful woman in the world? I knew I picked the right friend"

"Then you see I have more resources to hunt you down?" Katya shot back.

Sombra looked at her playfully and snapped her fingers, revealing the hated photo of Katya's dealing with the Null Sector.

"Such a fragile foundation for a mighty empire" she said, enjoying Katya's reaction to the picture.

"What do you want?" she asked, hoping that she will go away peacefully.

"I just want to borrow a bit of money"

Katya couldn't believe her ears. Just money?

"H-how much?"

"Enough"

"What?"

"You heard me"

"But… How much is enough?"

"I also want some information on these people"

Three pictures emerge, each containing different individuals, two which Katya recognized.

"Recognize them?"

"I… I know that is Dr Kuiper and the woman is Dr O'Deorain"

"Just call them Sigma and Moira, makes things so much easier… What about the girl?"

Katya shook her head.

"Figures. Aaaaanyway, I want you to find out where they are"

"That's it? Couldn't you find out where they are?"

"Like you said, you have the resources, I'm just an innocent girl with a photo and the Internet" Sombra smiled.

Slowly, reluctantly, Katya nodded.

"You haven't told me how much you want" she growled.

"Something you can afford"

Feeling that the conversation have come to a close, Katya breathed a sigh of relief as Sombra seemed to be making her exit.

"Oh one more thing, if you think about contacting them or do anything I don't like, you can say bye bye to everything before you can blink"

At those words Sombra disappeared, but not before she let out a 'Boop' sound that rang in Katya's ears.

Her communicator rang and she saw a message with the following words:

_1__st__ Installment: $10,000,000_

Underneath the amount, there is a countdown of one minute that's already counting down, the cursed picture of her dealings next to it, and a Yes/No button.

Letting out a shout of frustration, Katya's mind raced in panic.

Does she submit and pay the money? Or risk manipulating the public's rationality?

_Thirty seconds…_

How did she even get hold of her accounts? Which accounts? 10 million…

_Twenty seconds…_

"I have plans for that money… I need that money…"

_Ten seconds…_

Shutting her eyes tight, she slams her finger down.

She felt a wild vibration and an uncharacteristically cheerful music sounded from her hand.

Breathing heavily, she crack open her eye and teared up when she saw her finger over 'Yes'.

"Thank you for your generosity" Sombra's voice sounded with the music.

To her horror, a new message came in.

_Next installment in 48 hours_

She feels sick. No. She is sick.

"Next…?" she read.

How many more will there be? How much is enough?

The device vibrated again.

"What now?!" she yelled when it showed an unknown number.

She held her breath when she answered the call.

"Hello Mdm Volskaya?" a unfamiliar voice said.

"Y-yes?"

"My name is Viktor from Sberbank, we have detected a transaction from your account to an unknown one, we would like to confirm if you have approved this transaction?"

Biting her thumb, she could only manage a "mmhmm".

"Sorry, is that a yes?"

"Yes" she whispered, barely able to sound out the 's'.

Not knowing any better, the banker gave his thanks, advises her to use their official channels next time and apologizes for taking her time before disconnecting.

A soft knock came at the door and the secretary opened it to a crack.

"Mdm? I just want to remind you that you are going to have a meeting in 20 minutes"

"Cancel it"

"But-"

"I said cancel it!" she shouted, causing the secretary to close the door quickly.

"Ten million dollars…" she groaned.

* * *

*Russia: City of Perm*

"Allow me offer my congratulations again for your success in Africa"

The High Council sat as Maximilien communicated to them through a hologram, refusing to use conventional binary methods to meet.

"Likewise we thank you for providing us the funds needed for our campaign" one of the members commented.

"Small investments for a long term goal"

"But what are your goals? Surely you do not do this just because you were told to" Braids said, leaning forwards slightly.

Maximilien said nothing, rather he took time to adjust his cuffs.

"First and foremost, I care for the results of the Revolution. Secondly, no one told me, I make my own choices"

"I know the man Doomfist made you pay for our Revolution, but I also know you do not invest unless you are sure to have a profit. What. Is. It?"

The others shot him a look and tried to show through body language that they do not support his views.

"It will do you well to remember that I am your only chance of success in this war?"

"We have conquered Africa, soon we will have access to unlimited energy"

"Soon" Maximilien repeated in a bored tone.

"You doubt us?" Braids asked.

"This Revolution will see the Omnics to be the next step to rule this Earth. At this moment you are a necessary strength, but to set up plants? Administration to run those plants? Yes I doubt you"

Braids shook with anger and stood up, catching Maximilien's interest at this very human reaction.

"You dare mock our capabilities? Our sacrifice is made from the bodies of millions of Omnics! You never fought with us in the front, you do not know what we are capable of"

"Very off topic but I'll indulge. As I said, at this moment you are a necessary strength, but when the strength of arms is no longer required and the power of the pen reigns supreme, how would you proceed then?"

"You are using us to win the world for you" Braids concluded, his drives in full throttle.

"I suppose that can be an accurate statement, though crude"

"You will never earn the world, it belongs to us" one of the members said.

"I concur, you may have funded us, but you did not earn our victories" chimed in another.

Maximilien chuckled.

"Yes yes, the bravado and determination of the warrior class programs, you have been heard, until then for the Revolution to reach its goals, it needs, for the time being, all of our cooperation"

Braids clench his fists at those very real words.

"Lets say your plan succeeds, what do you plan to do?"

"I want what you want. I want humans to feel the suffering they've done to Omnics"

"No! The Null Sector is to fight to create an Omnic Nation!"

"What good does that do?" Maximilien sighed.

"To prove we are better than our creators!"

"You really are just a brute aren't you? Can't you see we are already better?"

"And what makes you think we will just roll over and give

Braids was about to argue back when Maximilien another Omnic entered the frame and whispered something into his ear.

"Time for me to inspect my new pets… Just go win your little wars and see if you can sustain unlimited energy without me, I'll be in touch"

The Council fell into discussion, weighing their options and suggesting various methods how Maximilien plans to take over and its prevention.

Braids stood still as a statue.

"How dare he… How dare he take advantage of the Revolution for his own profits" he thought, trying to remain calm.

"What can we do?" one of them ask.

"We continue the fight, then… Then when we establish the Omnic Nation, then we bring the war to Talon"

* * *

*Egypt: Maximilien's Mansion*

"Did they take the bait?" Ogundimu asked through a call.

"Yes, statistically speaking they should declare war on us soon"

"Good… Make sure to lead them to whoever still have structure left, even if its themselves"

"Yes sir…"

Ogundimu reached out to disconnect the call but paused for a moment.

"When I say whoever, I mean everyone"

"Yes"

"And if I begin to suspect you holding back to profit from this… You know what will happen?"

Maximilien merely nodded.

With that, the call is cut, leaving Maximilien to quickly move the next piece of the puzzle.

"Call in all applicants to begin testing, increase the difficulty of the Project Doomfist to level 8, I need to know how capable they are against him"


	56. Chp 56 - Uncomfortable Alliance - 3

Hi all,

Well as you may have notice that now it is down to one chapter a week. If some of you are concern about me getting bored of the story, I'll have you know that I am not, its just that workload has sorta doubled which demanded my attention.

So this is how it is going to work I think, most of the time I will be posting on Wednesdays. If I feel that it will not be ready on the Wednesday I'll post it latest on a Thursday between 20:00-21:00 GMT+8 (WA Time).

I thank you all for showing continued interest in my story and may we journey through this together with an entertained mind :D

* * *

*Algeciras*

It has been a long time since Morrison find himself cornered in a fight.

A very long time.

Despite his strategic mind, his entourage could not keep up to provide the firepower needed to prevent the machine forces from joining each other.

Now their enemy has tripled in size and is throwing its entire weight onto the Overwatch forces, encircling them with frightening speed.

Finding themselves under siege on a small hill, they dug in to wherever they could use as cover, either digging a foxhole or behind boulders. Soon, black scorches and smoke replace the once green hill.

The mercenaries have done well to keep the Null Sector at bay, but could not create any significant damage as Morrison's full attention is towards the skies, preventing their foes from achieving air superiority.

As the hours pass, more and more wounded find themselves next to the medics, who are stationed in a small cave. Those still able to hold a gun are forced to rejoin the battle, while the less fortunate can only pray for extraction.

"Any word from base?" Morrison asked, jogging into the cave, his gun silent for the first time in hours.

"No sir, they jammed our signal before we could get a response" one of the medics replied.

Grunting in acknowledgement, Morrison glance towards the clearing where it served as their supply dump. By his estimated, they could only hold off from another major engagement or a couple of small skirmishes.

Even he himself is down to his last cartridge.

"Commander!"

They looked and saw a handful of mercenaries ran in, the one who spoke has half of his face is behind a bandage.

"The scraps are gathering for another push, if we are planning to break out, it's now or never!" he shouted while the others quickly threw ammunition into a sack that each of them carried.

Morrison sighed as he looked down at the wounded that total to a third of their force. Even if they attempt to break out, it would mean the total decimation of at least two third of his troops.

But if they stay, they will all die.

Unless…

"We hold until the Extraction Team arrives" he said firmly.

"Yes… Sir…"

"Do you think they can get here in time?" the medic asked fearfully as they watch the men rush back to the perimeter.

"Barricade the entrance, do not open it until I give the order"

Forced to conserve ammunition, the mercenaries are almost taking shots for free as the Null Sector skirmished around them, firing at their positions randomly.

"Keep your head down boys, we'll get our chance" one of the sergeants shouted, eyeing for an easy target.

"If we keep waiting, we are never going to have a chance!" one of them shouted back, their cover becoming smaller with each passing moment.

"Then go back into the cave boy, you're in the way" a voice growled from behind them.

Morrison stood tall and proud, unfazed by the number of guns pointed towards their direction, taking in the situation for a terrifying minute before he decided to take coverr.

"The scraps are avoiding the chokepoints, they're planning to smash into us from all directions"

At those words, everyone who heard it gripped their guns tighter, trying to calm the rising dread building amongst them.

Though experienced, they sometimes forgot that they are still fighting an enemy that has no fear, which the Null Sector will use to its full advantage.

Seeing their morale shaken, Morrison pulled the perimeter closer to the cave entrance, concentrating them into smaller groups so their mere presence can serve as some form of comfort or encouragement.

Then the ground shook, they must've stepped on their mines that they set at the base of the hill.

"Don't miss and you'll live" Morison said, readying his weapon, the men following suit.

The ground shook again, making some men dig their holes just a little bit deeper, as if it would increase their chances of survival.

Then they came.

Four Behemoths leapt into view, their hulking mass a sight to behold.

"Fire!"

With admirable discipline, the Heavy Team let loose their missiles, blasting the Behemoths simultaneously into pieces.

The men hover their fingers above the trigger, waiting for the first wave that will surely come next.

Sure enough they are peppered with plasma and flashes of laser. They're coming.

"Hold, don't fire until you can see them" Morrison said, scanning the horizon with his visor.

Seconds passed, then to minutes. At the 5th minute, the men looked at each other in confusion.

Though they are still being shot at... Where is the wave?

Morrison took off his visor, wiped it for a moment and scanned again, refusing to believe what he is seeing.

The Omnics are firing from the very edges of the hill, slowly crawling from cover to cover.

"Advance tactical programs?" he thought, the idea of the Null Sector adopting new tactics is maddening.

If they are taking the more cautious move then that means...

"Take cover!" he yelled, throwing a man into the already cramped foxhole.

Their position exploded into a brilliant shower of dirt as mortar rounds rain upon them, their coordinates guided by the Omnics scouting at the edges.

"Hold position!"

They watched as their Commander brave through the mortar shower and leapt behind the boulder where they spotted some activity.

Immediately the mortars began shifting to the furthest edge away from them.

"That should waste their mortars for a bit" Morrison commented to himself as he made sure the head of three Null Sector spotters are secured on the tree, their lens triangulating that position.

Looking down, he saw another sight that surprised him.

He saw regiments of Nullifiers stood at attention at the base of the hill, more than enough to take them out, but... The Omnics at the forefront seem to be arguing?

The Null Sector arguing? But despite this revelation, it would be suicidal for them to try to pierce through the siege.

Then he saw them coming from the skies, a large shuttle streaking towards them.

"Cheers luvs! The Cav-" a voice cried out in the coms but was quickly cut off.

But the damage was done as the Null Sector look towards the shuttle.

"Everyone here! Provide cover fire now!" Morrison shouted.

Eager for action, the men rushed forward and soon the whole hillside is a warzone once again, only this time the humans have the element of surprise.

"There they are!" Winston shouted with a smile.

"Gerrofofme!" Lena muffled, pushing his giant paw away from her face.

"Looks like it is going to be a bumpy ride! Hold onto something!" the pilot said as she began evasive maneuvers.

"Whoa calm down luv!" Lena said as the shuttle banked heavily towards the right.

"Morrison, if you can hear us, we need flare" Angela said calmly, floating above the ground as she watches them struggle to keep themselves upright.

"Oh no!" the pilot screamed as Skirmishers flew towards them.

Just as the Skirmishers were about to open fire, they were engulfed in balls of flame and fell out of the skies.

"I'm - low, get - here now!" Morrison's voice crackle in the coms.

"Just land on the hill!" Lena shouted.

"There's too many anti aircraft guns! I can't get close!"

"I'll take care of it!"

She was about to Blink when Winston stopped her.

"Wait till you're outside"

"Oh right! Gotcha! See ya all in a tick!"

Opening the door, she was sucked out of the shuttle, enjoying the feeling of the thrill and wind in her hair when the sounds of flak guns forced her to pay attention.

"Alright, lets see what these new babies can do!" she shouted as she Blinked into the middle of a Null Sector regiment.

As she materialized, an explosion was emitted from her landing, sending multiple Nullifiers into the air.

Before they could identify this new threat, she Recalled back into the skies and saw that many are sucked into the Vortex.

Seeing the opportunity, she threw her Pulse Bombs into the cluster and braced.

Exploding not once, but twice, whatever that was caught in the Vortex did not stand a chance as the second explosion was just as powerful as the first.

Blinking towards the first AA Gun she sees, she easily cleared its crew and destroyed the gun before moving on to her next target.

"Looks like she adapted to her new gear well enough" Winston said as he observes her from the window.

"She continues to amaze us… Come, we need to extract the men now" Angela said, preparing to jump.

"Very well, open the door!" Winston called as he primes his weapon.

"Winston, have you taken your supplements by any chance?"

"I'll be fine" he grunted.

"You have a few minutes to get them ready to board!" the pilot shouted before pressing the button, opening the cargo doors.

The men sighed in relief when the duo landed near them.

"Where are the wounded?" Angela asked.

"Over there!" one of the mercenaries pointed to the slab of rock at the entrance of the cave.

Winston nodded and dropped a Barrier Projector before jumping towards the cave, Angela following close behind.

Within a minute they were ready for extraction.

Within five minutes, they are all boarded.

"Tracer! We are leaving!"

"Got it!"

As the shuttle took off and out of range of all the anti-aircraft guns, the men cheered in celebration.

"Good to see you back on your feet soldier" Morrison commented.

"Thanks! It's good to be back on the saddle!" Lena replied happily.

"Good because you have-"

"Don't you dare…" Angela said, stepping between him and Lena.

"Angie?"

"She's not ready" she said sternly.

"What do you mean? I can hold my own!"

Morrison stared back and nodded slowly.

"Lieutenant Oxton, you are to perform garrison duties until further notice"

"Wha-? Why? For how long?" she nearly shouted.

"Until I deem you are ready for combat duties again"

* * *

*Italy: Pisa*

"Okay... Let's just step back... This guy killed your dad?" Sombra asked carefully.

"Oh yes, shot him in the head, execution style" Agong said, acting out how the supposed execution played out.

"I don't believe it, you must be in your 40s? How could Quill even be this young when that happened?" Lox exclaimed.

"First, that's insulting, I'm forever 21. Second, he knows the National Anthem and he knows what my name means, and he mention that his friends swore to my name, and..."

"Ok enough! We have a caveman with us and -"

"He doesn't like that reference" Lox said quickly but Sombra ignored him.

"- we need everyone here to take down Talon, so can you not kill him before then?"

"No, I need to avenge my father" Agong said firmly.

"How about I pay you ten million dollars now to hold that off for a few days?"

"BUT I suppose the dead is not going to mind a few days" Agong added happily.

Lox stared. Is this man serious?

After the transaction is done, Agong continued to stay close to Quillion's bed, studying him carefully.

"Strange... Always thought he'd be bigger"

"So... You said he was one of the best, how many were there?" Lox asked, burning with curiosity.

"Four of them, sometimes we call them the Horseman, Zero's the Leader, One's the Damage, Three is the Tank, and Fourth is the Healer"

"You made those titles up..."

"No! It is the best way to teach children about their roles"

"May I ask you to do me a favor?" Sombra interjected.

"What would that be friend?" Agong ask, his tone towards her gentle after receiving the money.

In one swift motion, she slaps a cloth over Lox's mouth. Agong watched in interest as the man struggled for a few seconds before passing out.

"When Quillion wakes up, that is his name. And if he asks you about the numbers, make sure you mention Five members instead of Four"

"Why? There's always and only been Four"

"Because I'll pay you extra"

"What's the name of the Fifth member?" he asked enthusiastically.

"Jampang"

*An hour later*

Quillion slowly regain consciousness, his body ached horribly. He tried to stretch it out but found it incredibly painful to do so.

His first thought is to visit the Medical Bay, he needs to be in top form in case Morrison needs him to assist Lena.

Then he remembered stabbing her Chronal Accelerator, he remembered how she looked when he twisted his wrist, the terror he inflicted upon her.

He woke with a start and looked around. He saw that he is in a room with some European decoration. It is also night.

Someone is also snoring next to him. Loudly.

Shifting slightly, he looked and saw a disgusting sight.

The hated 'Agong' is sleeping on the sofa close to the bed. He has taken off his shirt and his sweat covered body is hunched over towards him, a chocolate bar in one hand.

Disgusted, Quillion slip away from the bed and snuck out of the room so he could further collect his thoughts.

Looking around he saw that most of their gear is laid out in the living room, to which he quickly collected his.

Though he only left Overwatch for at most a few days, he realized that the progress to attack Talon is too slow. Lena would have her Chronal Accelerator repaired by now, he needs to act quicker.

The door of another room creaked open and he saw Lox creeping out of it, his face red and flustered.

He walked straight past Quillion and pour himself a cup of water. He notices a slight perfume emitting from the pilot.

"Didn't think you're that type of guy" Quillion commented, causing Lox to choke on the water.

"Y-You're awake!"

"And I thought you're more cautious than this"

"What?"

"Inviting someone over for coffee could expose who we are"

"I... I didn't!" he stammered.

"Oh? So who else am I smelling from you?"

Just then the door open again and to his shock, Sombra came out of it, wearing nothing but a towel. She blushed when they looked at her direction, but winked at Lox before returning to her room.

"No... No you didn't..." he stared.

"It's not what it looks like!"

"I think I know what it looks like, I thought you're married?"

"I swear I didn't sleep with her!"

"Then what were you guys doing? Playing dress up?"

"I... I just remember that she grabbed me then I fell asleep!"

Quillion sighed.

"You know... I don't usually lecture people about this but cheating is just wrong man..."

"I didn't cheat! I woke up and saw her sleeping next to me!"

"Fine, keep telling yourself that..."

Lox stood still as a statue, his mouth open to protest but no voice came out as Quillion inspects his ammunition.

"What are you doing?" he croaked, changing the subject.

"We should be moving out soon so I need to be prepared"

"You just had suffered something similar to a heart attack, you need to rest!"

"It's nothing, I've never felt better" Quillion lied.

"Look, I know you are some big shot back in your day, but Talon is not your run in the mill evil organization"

"I've defeated some of them before, I'll beat them again"

"That's not what I meant! Some of them have their hands deep into the societal structures! Take Dr O'Deorain, she is the Minister of Genetics in Oasis! Maximilien is an icon for success stories!"

"Until a bullet flies through their skulls"

"You can't do that! They're actually important members in society!"

"It'll live"

A door flung open and Agong shuffled out.

"Oh hey, there ya are, scared me a bit, thought you'd go out on your own" he yawned.

Quillion said nothing as he cleaned his weapon, not wanting to talk to the man who is a living insult to his country, while Lox looked at him nervously.

"So, your name is Quillion, I must say that is a surprise to me"

He merely grunted in reply.

"I'm curious, who was the best among you?"

"You don't deserve any answers from me" Quillion growled.

"Oh you do, all of you swore an oath to be loyal to all Agongs"

"Not. To. You"

"Common, just indulge me for a minute, was number One really that good?"

"What?"

"Your number one fighter, Ahmad was his name?"

Quillion froze when the name was uttered.

"You dare speak his name" he whispered.

"What was his battlecry? Malaysia Selamanya? Now that's a true pat-"

Agong found himself lying on the floor and a gun pointed at his face.

"Another word and-"

What felt like a sack of bricks sent him crashing into the wall, reopening some wounds.

"As I was saying" Agong said, shaking his hand "Ahmad is a patriot, I could barely buy his action figures to finish my collection, especially the one with the parang"

"And that Oliver! Now he is a second favorite, just too bad he focuses too much on explosives eh?"

"How... How did you know about us?" Quillion seethed, his and Lox's hands over his wounds to try to stop the bleeding.

"Too bad Hazir ain't with you now, heard his skills are legendary"

"How did you know their names?"

"Weren't you listening? I have your action figures"

Quillion groaned. So that's how the country sees them? Heroes? What a joke...

"You look disappointed, why? You were our heroes!"

"And look where your heroes drag you..." Quillion sighed, his composure cracking.

"Hey, paved the way for me to become the leading drug lord in the world" Agong said with a hint of pride.

Quillion didn't expect that as he stared blankly at those words.

Then he started to chuckle... Then began laughing uncontrollably.

"You hear that friends?! This is the fruits of our efforts! A dead country with a filthy drug lord as its ruler to carry its memory!"

Lox look at him concerningly as he continues his tirade.

"Then I became an ice cube, picked up by the only person who I thought cared for me! Then wasted months of my time, playing soldier for a cowboy just to fail where it matters most!"

He threw his head back and roared with laughter, tearing open his wounds further.

"Failures! Everything we do ends up in blood and flames! Action figures? Heroes? We might as well never exist! Nothing has changed! Nothing!"

Doubling forward, he spat out a mouthful of blood, his body reaching its limits.

"Quil! Calm down!" Lox shouted.

"You are wrong" Agong commented.

Both of them look at the large man and was surprised to find his eyes teary.

"You know... I thought that it will be fun killing you, but now I see that will only fulfill your desire to die" he sighed.

"Plus, you didn't cause the country to fall..."

"Ha! We were overrunned, we were the only line of defense if you don't remember, it is our failure to hold the line that caused the destruction"

"Didn't the country surrender before your base was destroyed?"

Quillion blinked as memories, long shut behind closed doors were suddenly unlocked by his words.

He remembered his squad watched the in horror as the Prime Minister declared the unconditional surrender of the country to the Null Sector, ending any hopes for a major counter offensive in Asia.

He remembered everyone serving under his name answered his rallying cry to resist their invaders. Setting up a temporary base in the mountains, they amass their forces for one climactic battle.

But...

They were discovered by the Ministry and in exchange for the supposed safety of the country, they gave up their locations to the Null Sector.

The battle lasted for three days before they were finally destroyed.

"Remember now? You were not the cause of the country's fall, it fell by itself"

"What happened after the destruction of the base...?"

"Well, many of your soldiers ran to different cities to continue the fight, in the end the Null Sector just decided to massacre everyone"

"Wait..." Quillion thought, why does it sound like he is the centerpiece? He is nothing more than a historian.

"Tell me... What did Jampang do during all this?"

"He was fighting the good fight" Agong said.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Sorry boys, I just got a call from Widowmaker, we have to move now"

"Ahh a call from my love?"

"Where are we going now?"

"We are going to Venice, time to take Talon down"


	57. Chp 57 - Mission in Egypt - 2

*Egypt: Maximilien's Mansion*

The room that he was led to is just as decorated as the previous room. Lavishly decorated with a table full of food on the side. The only difference is that there are four seats facing the window, one which is already occupied.

"Mr McCree, please take a seat" Maximilien said without glancing towards him.

"Just McCree is fine. What are we watching?" he replied, taking a seat.

Looking down, he saw they are looking over what looked like an obstacle course. Monkey bars, moving targets, even rock climbing.

"Really? I can do this without both arms" he thought.

"This is where we observe what your colleagues are capable of"

The doors below them swung open and the rest of the mercenaries and criminals walked into the room. When they finish gathering, a few butlers approach them and seem to be briefing them.

They must also realize that this obstacle course is silly as many of them wore a smirk on their face.

"I guess all they need to do is to go to the other end of the room?"

"Correct"

"No disrespect but, this is some kiddie stuff"

Maximilien chuckled.

"Well, we shall see about that"

Without warning, the butlers suddenly wrap their arms around those closest to them in a bear hug. They tried to push them off but without warning…

The Omnics exploded, blasting the starting point into pieces, throwing bodies into the air.

"Hmm, perhaps that is too powerful" Maximilien said.

"Ya don't say?" McCree said, gripping his seat tightly.

It was the most uncomfortable thing he's ever experienced. Unconsciously he expected to hear or feel the explosion, but all he saw is a ball of fire popping into existence without so much as a gasp or shake.

He saw the walls shifted slightly and ventilators appeared, clearing the smoke and dust from the room. Once it cleared, they saw everyone is one the floor.

"Ahh, looks like those passed the first trial" Maximilien said as the window magnified some of the bodies.

Survivors began stirring and looked around confusingly, trying to gather their bearings.

Some tried to run back through the door they came through, but their bodies suddenly convulsed violently when they grabbed the handles.

"Such silly fools, this is why I prefer to have Omnics" Maximilien said, studying the confusion.

"Then why are you hiring both? In fact, why ain't I down there?"

"I think your reputation speaks for itself, not many can have the bounty of 60 million dollars and survived, in fact your bounty is higher than everyone down there"

"Err... Thanks... And the human part of the question?"

Maximilien said nothing, merely gesturing with one smooth wave to continue watching the trials.

It was brutal.

Snipers and fire were common place, concentrated at the easiest pathways through the obstacles. As cruel as the method is, McCree realize that Maximilien is forcing a divide between the weak and the strong with as little time as possible.

Only ten minutes in, over half of the participants lay broken or dying on the ground as the rest fought hard to go through each stage quickly.

It was here McCree knew why Captain Amari is eyeing the Twins.

They were spectacular.

With synchronized teamwork, they breezed through each stage with ease. Though they look human, their movements are obviously mechanical.

"Well, looks like you got your winners" he said, pointing them out.

"They are performing well, but I want to see how they deal with him"

"Him?"

"McCree… Besides your bounty, I thought your presence would be entertaining, but now it is getting annoying, do not make me regret my decision of hiring you without letting you go through the trials"

"Jesse, do as he say and keep quiet" Ana said.

"Pardon me, didn't mean no offense sir" he apologized.

The trial went on and of the 40 people who started, only 10 survived, looking no worse for wear at the end of the room.

Maximilien stood up, adjusted his suit and began clapping, causing the survivors to look around in confusion.

"Well done, you have done well to pass the first trial" he said, his voice booming in the room below.

"However, you have one more obstacle"

A gap tore the floor open and a platform is raised.

On the platform is a large Omnic wearing what seems to be a gauntlet.

"Defeat your last opponent and I will guarantee you a position in my ranks and riches beyond your imagination"

Immediately they opened fire but ended up shooting the air as it punched its way upwards, the gauntlet carrying it high before it rockets down into one unlucky Omnic, shattering it into pieces.

McCree stared, intimidated by the sheer power and skill of the figure. But most of all it reminded him of someone he has seen in the past. Someone whom he tried hard to forget.

The room shook as it sent another into the wall with a fully charged punch, killing him immediately.

They fought desperately but are obviously outmatched as it easily avoided every attack and crush through every defences.

Again and again the punches flew, again and again it claimed a life.

Only when the Twins are left standing did Maximilien lift his hand, which the Omnic immediately stop its rampage and stood still.

"Congratulations for passing the test, though it is disappointing that you did not destroy your opponent"

Battered and bloodied, the two men sank to the ground, exhausted, confused to which whether their objective is to destroy or survive it.

"But let me show you what is expected of you"

A cloud of darkness gathered between the Twins and the Omnic.

A hooded figure stepped out of the shadows and looked down at the two men, his face behind a skull, his clawed hands folded across his chest.

"So this is the best you can do? Disappointing" the hooded figure growled.

McCree felt the blood drain out of his face.

"Reaper…" he whispered, causing gasps from Captain Amari and Genji.

Maximilien looked at him and chuckled again.

"Seems that his reputation exceeds even yours McCree, if you know his name. That is good, because he will be your boss"

McCree swallowed, if Reaper even so much as hear his boots, he is a dead man.

"Reaper, show them"

Turning around he formed his Hellfire Shotguns and stood within range of the Omnic, its gauntlet charging with electricity.

"Let's just get it over with" Reaper replied with a bored voice, hanging his weapons casually by his sides.

"Disengage Safety Protocols, maximize power, kill the Reaper" Maximilien commanded.

In a blur the Omnic launched a punch towards Reaper, its speed so fast that those who blinked missed its intiial attack.

Reaper lazily fade into his Wraith, allowing the punch to rocket pass him.

Before it could even turn around to launch another attack, Reaper has won, blasting it from behind, it stumbled and tripped to the ground.

It attempted to stand back up but a heavy boot stomped it back onto the floor. Not allowing it to react, he executed it with a shot on the back of the head, to the awe of the Twins.

McCree could not believe his eyes. It was so quick, so precise, it is a wonder he survived their last bout.

"Did he just beat the Doomfist?" McCree asked, forced to voice it out to report to the others.

"Not exactly, that was just a replica, however, I believe we have copied at least 92.47% of his capabilities, so a lesser Doomfist"

"Ask him when did Reaper get there" Genji said.

"No, ask him why he is hiring bodyguards" Ana instructed.

"Err…" McCree started but Maximilien wave it off.

"Save your questions for later, your colleagues will be joining us soon"

"With Reaper?" McCree asked, trying to sound calm.

"Wait until the briefing, you can ask all your questions there"

Before he could think of an excuse to leave, the door swung open.

The first to enter is an Omnic butler carrying a wrapped box, followed by the Twins who limped in.

"Excellent, now that everyone is here, we can begin. Do not worry, this is not part of the trial, please remove your hand from your weapon"

It took a moment for McCree to realize the request was to him, who have his hand over his revolver. That moment he could feel many hidden guns pointing at him.

"Sorry, force of habit" he said, sliding his hand off.

The room turned its attention on the Twins, both who demanded compensation and explanation for their ordeal.

"Do you want us to bail you out?" Genji asked.

Before he could answer, Maximilien suddenly spoke up as he spoke with the Twins.

"... As an example for your future compensations… I prepared this for your colleague"

The butler came forward with the box, causing the Twins to double back, crossing their arms to protect their vital organs.

"Please, I have already told you the trials are over"

Opening it, they saw it contains a mechanical arm.

"For you McCree, see if it fits"

* * *

*Egypt: Outside of Maximilien's Mansion*

The sun is setting as Ana and Genji devise their plan.

"If Gabriel really is in there, we have to rethink our strategy" Ana said.

Genji nodded as he circles the more defended areas of the mansion.

"If we are to extract him, this is the only place we can do it" he said, pointing at the garden.

"But we cannot leave until we expose and arrest Maximilien"

He nodded again and wait, allowing Ana time to formulate her plan.

Ana looked down and sighed. This was not the first time she was faced with such challenges.

Reinforced windows and walls, patrols that will never waver in vigilance, secret escape routes, only one chance to take out their target.

This is all second nature to her, except for one thing.

She is getting too old for this.

"Alright, here's the plan, first I need Jesse to do something"

* * *

*Egypt: Maximilien's Mansion*

"It looks good on you" the butler commented as McCree flexes his new arm.

"Well, thank you kindly" he said, genuinely happy to have an arm back.

"And this is my generosity for your services" Maximilien said, turning back to the Twins, who are looking at the new arm greedily.

Up close, McCree saw they are heavily modified. Though human, they have traded most of their body for mechanical upgrades. The only recognizable feature left of them that is human are their faces.

"Somebody's got issues" he thought.

"Very good, now, take a seat" Maximilien invited, indicating the seats facing the window.

McCree's felt his heart beating furiously against his chest. The chairs are facing away from the door. He would be unable to see Reaper coming in.

Forced to comply he adjusted his seat the best he could without looking too obvious and sat.

"It is a pity that Reaper will not be joining us today as he is called back to base for a mission"

"Phew..." McCree sigh to himself in relief.

"What I am about to tell you is for you to take to your graves" Maximilian said.

The room dimmed as the image of a man is shown.

"This man is known as Doomfist, a man of great power and influence. But terribly misguided"

These words surprised McCree, is this why the last stage of the trial is to fight against a copy of Doomfist? Is Maximilien planning to rebel against his boss?

"He wanted to create power with nothing but the so called 'human will'. Though humanity has shown some admirable tenacity, why fix something that is not broken?"

Then he began a boring speech about how wealth is the true power behind everything and the Twins listened with great interest while McCree had to hold back a yawn.

"Jesse, are you still there?"

"You gotta help me" he muttered.

"Why? What's wrong?" Ana said with urgency in her voice.

"He's talking about money"

He had to suppress a smile as he imagines her rolling her eyes.

"Listen carefully, this is the plan..."

*One hour later*

"I see that the presentation is too much for our new colleague" Maximilien mused.

They looked at McCree and saw that he fell asleep where he sat.

"What is he? Some sort of glory boy?" one of them asked.

"A useless glory boy"

"Ya know I can hear you" McCree muttered, stretching where he sat.

"Well, that concludes the briefing, may you have a bright future with us. I'll leave you alone to... Know one another better"

As Maximilien exits the room, he heard McCree ask if they know how to play poker.

"That was tedious" he said as the butlers began dusting his clean suit.

Checking his schedule, he saw it is time for his appointment with the new President of Egypt.

"Provide them with whatever they need, they will begin their duties tomorrow"

The butlers bowed their heads in acknowledgement as he returns to the Guest Room, where the President is already waiting for him.

As expected, the President wanted him to fund many of his 'visionary' projects. Though it is annoying, he had helped him win by using his influence and wealth. Due to the man's inexperience, this open windows of opportunity for Maximilien to slowly take over Egypt.

By all means this President is not an 'evil' or 'corrupt' man in definition, but his ambitions overshadow his judgement. He wishes to rebuilt the country to its former glory before the First Omnic Crisis but could not stomach the risks involved to spend that much money.

"Humans are all the same, seeking the machine to do their dirty work" he thought as he masterfully weaves around all requests from the President, frustrating him.

So weak, so fragile, despite their so called 'evolution' or 'survival of the fittest', they barely adapted for survival.

Thus, this is where Artificial Intelligence takes over, though their creators are fragile, they are strong. No matter their evolution, they are still bound to nature and its elements.

This is why, regardless of the environment, humanity will eventually die. This is why Doomfist's vain vision will fail.

"Can you at least do anything about the rising bandit attacks near your checkpoints?"

"Unless the President grants me permission to build my own troopers and patrol the deserts, I'm afraid this is the most I can do"

He shifted uncomfortably in his chair. His advisors have all instructed him to never allow Maximilien to gain any sort of military or security presence in the country and now he is being cursed by ignoring them, naively thinking that granting checkpoints will be the end of his worries.

Ever since the death of Abdul Hakim, he hoped that the criminal organization will tear itself apart and fade away in obscurity. Therefore, he thought hiring a third party security force that cost virtually nothing would relieve his expenses greatly.

But now the bandits are more organized and attacking with increasing boldness. The authorities could barely respond quick enough to control the situation, costing him more money than ever.

Now his only hope to maintain security is asking for a more powerful military presence in a weak country. Even he knew the risks are too great to ignore, regardless of the reputation of the Omnic sitting in front of him.

"I'm sorry I cannot do that" he said.

Maximilien looked at him for a moment before responding.

"Very well, I will send instructions across all my checkpoints to install long range, surveillance only, instruments to warn people of potential attacks"

"Thank you, that is highly appreciated" the President replied gratefully.

"However, I will need to begin charging the people who uses my hospitals and schools in the country"

"What? Why?"

"Unlike patrols, these instruments are incredibly expensive, I will need additional income to maintain them" Maximilien said.

"You can't do that! You already promised that they will all be free for the people!"

"Well, if you want me to do something about the bandits and you won't grant me permission to hunt them down, this is the best I can do, unless you want to take back your request?"

The President slumped as he weighs his options.

If he takes back the request, his position as President will weaken, if he grants Maximilien more power, it will gain more popularity and may turn against them in the future, if Maximilien builds the towers, the people will know who is responsible for that, or worse, denied the care they need.

"What will it be Mr President?"

Though his voice is calm, he could feel it demands an answer now... Or else...

"I..."

A _crack_ sound came from the other room, followed quickly by multiple voices, catching their attention.

"Please forgive me Mr President, but I seem to have an important matter to attend to, shall we meet again soon to conclude this?"

"Yes, yes that will be for the best" he said quickly, grateful that he has a few more days to think on this.

Seeing him out of his mansion, Maximilien stormed into the room, where McCree and one of the Twins is tied up, held down by his Omnic guards.

"What happened?" he demanded.

"The cowboy killed one of the Twins when they were playing poker" one of the Omnic guards said.

"What?"

Though Maximilien installed programs to handle anger, he was furious.

"And why would you do that?" he asked.

"Ain't my fault, he just attacked me!"

"No! You were cheating!" the other Twin roared, straining against his restraints

"No I ain't! I was just picking up a card from the floor!"

They bickered for a moment before Maximilien stopped them with a clap of his hands.

"Looks like I was mistaken to take you in, you have lost me a valuable asset Mr McCree"

"To be fair, if I can kill one of your assets over a poker game, how'd you think his other half here would do by himself?"

"I suppose what you are saying is I lost nothing over the loss of one or even both of these men"

"You underestimate me?!" the man shouted at McCree, who wore a smug smile on his face.

Maximilien look at them and sighed.

"Very well, untie them and give them their weapons"

The Omnics immediately complied and returned their weapons.

"If you truly are so confident in your skills Cowboy, let's see what you can do in a fair fight, both of you have five minutes, if this is unsettled by then, I'll exterminate you both"

At those words, they exited the room, leaving McCree and the surviving Twin to settle the score.


	58. Chp 58 - Uncomfortable Alliance- 4

*Gibraltar: Watchpoint*

Angela and her team worked around the clock to attend to all the soldiers who went out with Morrison to hold off the Null Sector invasion, trying to keep as many alive as possible. Some have tragically passed away midflight back to base and many more are in critical condition.

It has been a while since the beds of the Ward are filled, forcing the understaffed doctors and nurses to dive into forgotten territory and work in an almost dangerous pace.

"How's the men?" Morrison asked, pulling Angela aside, who kept an eye on the most critically injured, snapping her healing between them with the Caduceus Staff in an attempt to keep them alive long enough for her team to stop the bleeding, regardless of compatibility.

"Of the 40 men, 12 have passed and the rest are either critically injured or unable to perform active duty"

"All of them?"

Angela's face is all he needed for an answer.

"He's dead, record the time" the doctor said hastily, quickly changing his gloves for the next bed.

Her heart ached heavily but she pushed it aside, concentrating a healing stream to the soldier while keeping an eye on the many monitors to snap to.

Morrison looked at his men and thought to say something to them, something to lift their spirits.

How their sacrifice today have bought them valuable time for the local army to fight them off, or that this skirmish have dug out the valuable intel that the Null Sector are no longer just unfeeling, unthinking machines, something that they could exploit to the fullest.

But the groans of pain and the almost chaotic surgeries kept his mouth closed. If this was a narrow victory, they could have something to celebrate about, but at most, this is the worst kind of victory one could achieve. A pyrrhic victory.

"I already told you I'm fine!" he heard someone yelled out from the corner of the room.

He made his way to her bed and saw that a nurse could barely restrain Lena to wrap a bandage over a cut on her arm.

"Angie said it herself! There's not enough for everyone so use this bandage on someone else!"

"Please we must prevent the infection on your arm now"

"Do as she says, she is tougher than you think" Morrison instructed the nurse.

"But…"

His gaze is enough for her to nod and move on to the next bed.

"Where's your Chronal Accelerator?"

"What do you mean garrison duties until I'm ready to fight? Why should I be grounded?"

"It must be with Winston for maintenance" he thought.

"It has been brought to my attention that you have overexerted yourself and as your Commanding Officer, I should have recognized it sooner"

"I'm fine" she shot back.

"This is not a question for your zeal or capabilities, you have nothing to prove"

She looked away angrily. It was never about proving anything. It was her fault Mondatta died which led to the suffering that millions are experiencing is all because of her own cowardice to disappear into the void again.

As punishment for her selfishness, Emily was the cost…

"This is about Emily isn't it?"

When Morrison did not reply, her anger flared.

"Who are you to try to stop me? You've gone and went on to find Reaper for years before we asked you to come back!"

"Rest. You'll need it" Morrison said simply before walking away.

"When can I go back to the field?" she called after him.

He ignored her and exited the Ward.

"Hey anything I can do to help?" she asked, grabbing one of the nurses by the arm.

"Just stay there and we will get back to you" was the frantic reply, pulling her arm free.

Twice she tried to help, twice she was forced back to the bed. In the end she accepted that the best way to help everyone now, is to not help at all.

Hours passed when they finally attended to everyone. Three more unfortunate souls have passed and many more are not expected to last the night.

She watched as some nurses broke down and had to be quickly escorted out of the room by the others, themselves barely able to keep their emotions in check. Seeing this, Angela quickly dismiss them back to their own quarters for privacy, leaving only herself to watch over the Ward.

The only time she visited Lena's bed was when she needed a place to rest as exhaustion took over, placing a chair next to her bed, with full view of the room, and used the wall to rest her head.

Lena watch with a broken heart as her friend struggles to sleep, as she will perk her head up at every erratic or unusual beep, her sunken eyes endlessly fluttering. Twice she got up to check on someone and only when she sat down the third time, she finally drifted off.

That was when Lena's stomach rumbled.

"Bugger…" she said when she realized how hungry she is.

Checking her watch, she saw that it is 5pm, which means there should still be food in the Mess Hall. Sliding off the bed, she crept out of the Ward, but not before covering Angela with a blanket. As she exits the ward she kept a watchful eye on her body and hoped that she will not begin fading.

When she walked in, the familiar smell of coffee and toast met her nose first, which she never thought would ever be welcoming.

"Lena?" a familiar voice said from her left.

Turning around she yelped with surprise.

"Fareeha?"

"Wow you've grown" Fareeha said, giving her a quick hug before sitting back down.

Helping herself to a cup of tea and some toast, she sat in front of the HSI Captain and tried to start a conversation, but she could tell that something is bothering her.

"How ya feeling luv?" she said, biting a piece off the toast.

"To be honest, not very well…"

"Hmm? Why?"

Fareeha looked around and leaned forward.

"I can trust you right?"

"Hey, remember who you're talking to" Lena responded with a dramatic flair.

"I can't remember things…"

"What?"

"I… I can't remember how to fly the suit"

"You mean you forgot what one of the buttons do or something?"

She shook her head and gripped her mug tighter.

"I just tried to fly, I can't remember anything, and everything just feels alien to me, it's like there are gaps…"

The words shocked Lena. She knew how much being a defender of the peace meant for Fareeha and how proud she was to be named the youngest pilot to pass through Basics.

"Did you tell Angie about this? Or anyone else?"

"Yes… And she had a theory. Because I was… Gone… For a few hours in the ice, my body was preserved, but part of my brain was damaged and…"

The words caught in her throat and Lena reached out to grab her hands.

"It's alright luv, just take it one step at a time, do you remember the important stuff though?"

"Like what?"

"Like… Your parents?" Lena suggested carefully, which was rewarded with a snort.

"As if I'd forget them"

"Great! You can start from there"

Fareeha laughed and shook her head when she saw Lena's childish smile.

"Looks like you've matured a bit since I last saw you"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

*Hours later*

"Thanks Lena, see you again soon"

"Yup! Remember, take it easy!"

Making her way back to the Medical Ward, she passed through the War Room and, out of habit and curiosity, peeked into it.

As usual Morrison is at the center of the room behind the control panels, saying something to Colonel Smith, who is scribbling into his notebook while a few others are just reading random statistics on their computer.

Another boring day.

She was about to leave when Morrison said something that caught her attention.

"Well… This is a surprise" Morrison said.

* * *

*Outskirts of Venice*

"Landing in five minutes" Lox announced.

Everyone strap themselves in as the shuttle began decreasing its altitude.

Their landing zone is in a small forest 40 miles North West from Venice, where a vehicle is waiting for them.

Sombra took a seat next to Quillion as Agong took up the entire row in front of them.

"I never asked, why are you tagging along with us?" Agong asked Quillion.

"None of your business"

"Come come, we might die today! No time for secrets"

Quillion sighed.

"I made a promise"

Those words must've meant something as Agong sat up straight, the chair grinding under his weight.

"A promise? Wow…"

Seeing his reaction, Quillion decided to implore further, ignoring his discomfort to speak with the pretender Agong.

"And that's important because…?"

"You don't know? What happened to you?"

"Just say it…"

"Have you been experiencing headaches? Or some sharp pains in your head?"

Quillion merely stared back.

"Oh boy… That means you've broken promises haven't you? Or thought about it?"

Agong sat back in glee, rubbing his hands together.

"Guess if I do die here, I don't have to worry about killing you, looks like you've already done it yourself!"

"Everyone gets headaches from time to time..."

"Oh no, yours is different"

"And would you know that?"

"Come come now, I'm a fan! I have to know everything about the Quillions"

Sombra shot him a dirty look, but Quillion did not notice.

"What do you mean that I've already killed myself?"

"I thought you're supposed to be smart? Do you really think the government gave you these abilities just because you say you will be loyal?"

"What?"

"You are nothing more than a product my friend, every product has its assurance, insurance, and warranty" Agong said with a sick smile.

Seeing his confused face, he continued.

"You super soldier. Government scared. Put little boom-boom in you. You break your promises enough…."

"A kill switch…"

"Oh yes, a powerful one, in your brain. Every promise you ever break will take you one step closer to…"

Agong made a "boom" noise and imitate a head exploding.

Quillion merely looked at the ground.

"Every one of you have three chances, you have at the very least two more"

"What's the first one?"

"By default, you and your buddies have to protect the country, you failed, leaving two more before your brains see the world… I hope you are down to one" Agong laughed.

Lost in his thoughts, Quillion sighed. He has broken one more...

The golden bullet crawling slowly towards him, how he moronically dodge it when he could've stopped it, how her scream pierced through the night, calling her name…

"But of course unless you are having headaches now… Which would mean you are thinking about breaking another promise?"

"I doesn't matter anymore, focus on the mission" he said, more to himself than the others as the shuttle landed with a shudder.

Even before the door is fully open, Quillion jumped out of the shuttle, wanting to leave as quickly as possible.

"Impatient guy isn't he?" Agong asked as he stretched.

"What do you think you are doing?" Sombra asked angrily.

"Whatever do you mean?"

"Why did you say all that to him? What if he figures out that what's in him is not just a bomb?"

"Just trying to have a bit of fun" he shrugged.

"How is this fun?!"

"I'm not lying when I said I was a fan. To have someone altering my childhood hero's memories with a 'Jampang' is… Mean…"

"Hero? Just yesterday you wanted to kill him!"

Seeing his face, she realized that by 'fun' is to watch her squirm. Angered, she was about to threaten him with his payment when Lox cleared his throat loudly, bringing the discussion to an end.

"What am I supposed to do?"

"Keep the engine warm. If we do not return by morning, press the big purple button" Sombra said, throwing him a small box.

"What if they come for me? I have nothing to protect myself with"

"Fly away"

"Then how are you guys supposed to…"

"I have my methods" she said simply.

With that said, they exited the shuttle, where Quillion is already waiting for them in a delivery truck.

After a short protest, Sombra managed to bribe Agong into the back with the promise of nude pictures of Widowmaker and they began their journey.

It was uneventful and quiet journey, saved from snoring from the back and beeping from Sombra as she hacks the traffic lights.

At sunset, when the city came into view, Quillion slowed the truck to a stop.

"What are you doing?" Sombra asked, annoyed at the sudden delay.

"I'd like to sketch that one day"

"What?"

"See how the sun sets at the corner there? That would be a great sketch"

The words earned him a punch at the side of the head.

"This ain't no vacation pendejo! Vamonos!"

Quillion said nothing, taking in the sight once more before refocusing his attention to detach himself, to become the machine he needs to be to fulfill the final promise to Jampang and Lena.

* * *

*Venice*

He stared as the beautiful decorations of the city met his eyes. Though it is still noon, the glass glitters and thousands of tourists are walking by, enjoying what's left of the Christmas festivities.

He could barely believe that Christmas was only a few days ago…

"I still don't understand why we didn't just drive our way in" Agong complained when they left the truck, and continued to the city on foot, each pulling their own luggage.

"If you haven't notice, there are no roads" Sombra said impatiently.

"What a stupid city" he grumbled.

As they walk, Quillion notice that Agong's massive size is attracting too much attention.

"We need to get off the streets" Quillion said.

"I already said Talon has all the back streets monitored, the crowd is the best place we can be in" Sombra said, her fingers endlessly hacking those recording them under a jacket.

Nodding, Quillion pressed a few buttons on his sunglasses and it grew hotter with every minutes as it tries to scan and keep up with the thousands of tourists around them.

They walked for a certain distance over a few bridges and when they reached an area called Rialto and a tiny harbor where a few boats are parked, Sombra stopped behind a wall with an arch facing the river.

"You see where this road is leading to?"

They nodded when they saw that it leads to a massive mansion.

"That's one of the few entrances to the Talon headquarters, we attack tonight"

* * *

*Lox's Shuttle*

Night has fallen and Lox learned to appreciate the saying 'double edge sword' when it comes to the darkness.

Leaving only the bare essentials running, Lox looked around nervously as the blackness envelop the shuttle, the trees blocking much of the moonlight. The lack of visibility seemed to have enhanced his hearing and sensitivity to his surroundings.

Every movement of the leaves that he could see, he saw. Every random branch or twig that fell randomly onto the shuttle, he heard. The worst is the chorus of ceaseless clicking in the trees, as if the trees came alive and are communicating with one another.

His leg has not stop hopping ever since they left, the floor now marked with his boot prints, one sweaty hand on the controls and the other near the crowbar that he brought.

Though he have faith in Torbjorn's craft, having seen how, even flew, the shuttles in battle, and knew for a fact that nothing short of a tank can piece through its hulls, he could not help but feel intense anxiety that something or someone will just come and crush him instantly.

To try to relax he place a picture of his family in front of him but his eyes could barely focus on it as they dart around endlessly.

"Common guys, please come back soon" he thought.

Looking at the time, it is 10:00pm.

"And I'm supposed to stay here until sunrise?"

He tried to pour himself a drink but realize his container is empty. And he is thirsty.

Looking to the back, he saw a full container near the door. It is only a few steps away. All he needs to do is to unbuckle himself, walk a few steps away from the controls, and grab it.

But for Lox, it looked like it is a mile away, each second he is away from the seat is more opportunity for Talon to kill him.

He contemplated to ignore the thirst, but the clicking noises seem to grow steadily louder because of it. Desperate to stay calm, he tried to focus his attention on whatever moonlight that pierce through the leaves.

After what felt like an hour, he checked his watch again and saw it is 10:01pm.

"You gotta be kidding me!" he shouted.

Then a rattling emitted next to him, making him jump.

He grabbed the crowbar and looked around for the source of the noise. Only when it rattled the third time did he realize it is the rectangular box that Sombra gave him.

With trembling hands, he slowly open the lid with the crowbar and saw that there are two square devices inside, each with only one big button on. Which only one is steadily growing brighter.

"What?"

In a blinding flash of light, Sombra appeared.

First Lox is confused, then happy that someone is back, then he realized something went horrible wrong.

She is barely conscious. Her face is battered and bloodied, her jacket is now torn and is filled with holes, and some of her fingers are broken.

"What happened? Where's Quil?" Lox asked quickly.

"Water…" she croaked.

Quickly retrieving the water, he pouring it carefully into her mouth.

"Button… Press the button…"

Thinking it has some sort of healing properties or something, Lox reach under her and pulled the box out and quickly pressed both of them.

And nothing happened.

"It's not doing anything!" he said, pressing the button rapidly.

After a few painful seconds, a hologram appeared from the box and Lox felt his heart stop both in relief and fear when he realize who they are.

"Well… This is a surprise" Morrison said.

"Likewise" Volskaya replied.


	59. Chp 59 - Uncomfortable Alliance - End

*Venice: Rialto*

"Is the way clear?"

"Oui"

"Alright, moving in in five" Sombra said as they unzipped their luggage and began putting together their weapons under the cover of darkness.

Quillion fitted everything he could onto himself. All pockets full of magazines, while the Barrier Projectors, the last Biotic Field, grenades, extra armor discs, and knife hung around his belt.

Injecting himself with the healing fluids from a health pack, he drank the rest of the contents before finally slapping on an armor disc, ensuring he will be at his peak for his final mission.

The other two have much simpler setups.

Agong's kit is nothing more than a few packs of snacks and a huge, heavily customized pistol that he could fit in his huge hand.

Sombra merely threw on her jacket and is equipped with nothing more than a machine pistol.

Peeking out the corner, they looked at the entrance of the mansion again, triple checking for guards.

"I don't like this, it's too easy" Quillion said as his glasses did not, or are unable, to pick up anything in and around the building.

"Of course it's easy, my darling took care of it" Agong boasted.

Ignoring him, Sombra opened her palm and the layout of the base floated above it as she repeated the plan.

They will first enter the main hall to make their way to the two staircases at the back end, which would lead them to a small library, where she will hack the hidden elevator to go down to the base.

Once there, she will rush to the Security Office to liaise with Widowmaker, who should have full control of the feeds to guide Quillion and Agong to kill a man named 'Doomfist' in his office.

"He is not the target" Quillion said immediately.

"Hey, you came to me to find the ones responsible for the First Crisis, he is responsible"

"What about the others? The ones who attacked me in King's Row?"

"He is the head honcho. If he is in trouble, they will come to you, trust me"

"Show me where they will be if they do not come" he demanded.

"I told you- Wait… Where's Agong?"

He looked around him and saw that he is indeed missing.

"Oh please no…" he groaned.

Looking towards the mansion, they saw him already tugging at the door.

"Hijo de… Lets go!"

They darted out after him, who pulled the door free with a loud crack, only catching up to him when he is already inside.

"Why?" was all Quillion could manage, scanning the dark corners around them with both glasses and rifle.

"Both of you are always talking, time for some action!" he said loudly, his voice echoing around them.

"Keep your voice down!" Sombra whispered desperately.

"Why? There's literally no one around!" he said before he felt something hard poke his neck.

"Shut. Your. Mouth."

Never before has Quillion been so tempted to pull the trigger as he bury the barrel of his rifle into the surprisingly sturdy neck.

"Oh… Sowwy" Agong said in a sing song tone.

Entering the back room Sombra quickly hack the elevator and it's doors open behind a bookshelf.

"No points for originality, I know" she said as they enter.

"Anything to watch out for when we get there?" Quillion asked.

"If we are lucky, they won't know we are coming"

"And how can we possibly know that?"

"There will be people working" she said simply.

"I like this, no weight limit" Agong commented as the elevator moves smoothly down.

"Believe it or not, there's someone similar to your size in Talon"

"Oh yes, I've met him, he can throw a punch too"

"Let's hope we don't meet him"

Quillion said nothing as he took deep breaths to calm a strange sense of excitement. He is so close to finishing what he has been frozen to do.

But a thought has bothered him for a while and he decided now would be the best time to ask.

"Why are you here?"

Realizing the question is for her, she shrugged.

"I know why I am here, but I do not know why you are here"

"A story for another time"

At those words, they heard the sounds of a rifle charging.

"You are leading us into a trap aren't you?"

"If I have told you why I am doing this, would it have changed your mind?" she asked calmly.

He cocked his rifle as his reply.

"Fine…" she sighed, leaning on the wall.

"I just got wind that Doomfist is going to assassinate some guy from the UN, we are here to stop him before that happens"

"And why should any of us care about this?"

"If this war continues and without that guy, the Null Sector will breeze through the world. I can't allow that"

"How noble" he said sarcastically.

"Hey, if you worked as hard as I have, would you want to give up your power so easily?"

"Meaning?"

"Knowledge is power, information is power, but if the world is too busy to care about them, they're worthless"

"That's why you're here then? To keep your power?"

"Hey, powerful people always fight each other"

"I'm just here to ask my love to go back to my city in Malaysia, you should come too Quillion! Everyone will be happy to see their great hero!" Agong added.

Quillion merely sighed.

It has been nearly a year since he breathed Malaysian air... Perhaps he should take up that offer if they survive this so that he could tear apart this drug empire that scars its memory.

*Ding*

* * *

*Talon Base*

The doors slide open and no one was there to stop them.

Or more accurately, there was no one there.

"They know we are coming" Quillion whispered.

"Widow? Are you sure there are no ambushes?"

"Oui"

Sombra waited for a snarky remark but it never came.

"Widow… Who was your last kill?"

When there was no reply, she tore the earpiece away and destroyed it with a stomp.

"What did you do that for? My love is still on the line!"

"Stupid… Stupid!" she scolded herself.

A clanging sound came from above them. The cable has been cut.

"There goes our exit" Agong said, pulling out a small packet from his pocket.

Peeking out of the elevator, Quillion carefully scan every corner and still it detected nothing.

"We can't do anything by sitting around here, we need to move"

"Agree, here" she said, tossing him an earpiece.

"What's the plan?"

"We will go straight to the main office, I'll scout ahead and look for ambushes"

"Right?"

"Right" she said before turning invisible.

"Well… I guess now we just have to wait" he said to himself, ignoring the snorting sound from Agong.

There are three ways to the office.

Straight ahead is the fastest way to their target, however it is also the most ideal path for ambushes. Filled with many corners and backed by an Armory, Barracks, and what Sombra called an Arena. It can be easily defended with a couple of squads and still hold off a platoon.

If they take the left corridor, they will have to go through the Nursery and the Medical Bay. For some reason Sombra is adamant not to take that route because of 'dangerous individuals'.

Finally, the right is the longest but somewhat safest way to the office, with nothing more than a Mess Hall and a Storage Room, it is the most ideal place for them to push through before reinforcements from the Port could assist.

Still he detest the idea of willingly walking into an ambush of any kind. Regardless if one knows there is an ambush or not, engaging in one always equates to heavy costs.

"ALRIGHT! TIME FOR SOME ACTION!" Agong roared, charging out of the elevator and speeding straight towards the Arena.

Quillion merely stood in the elevator, still as a statue as his mind tries to process what just happened. Looking down, he saw a package with traces of yellow powder.

"Oi! Stop that pendejo!" Sombra shouted into his ear, snapping him back into action.

With surprising speed, Agong sped past the straight hallway, bulldozing away anything in his path.

"Troopers up ahead!"

Quillion picked up his pace but it was too late as flashes of gunfire appeared. With a roar, Agong slammed himself into the makeshift barrier, smashing it aside as easily as running through a finishing tape.

Easily putting down the dazed defenders, Quillion tore off his glasses, as they are not showing anything.

"Watch out!" Sombra shouted.

He saw the Assassin coming but could not react in time. Tackled to the ground, he felt his armor is already being shredded by the Assassin as it immediately slashed violently against his chest. Unable to see any openings, he could only shield himself from the relentless attack.

Almost immediately, the lights in its armor disappeared and its movements are locked in place, as if its system is shut down.

Pulling out his knife, he drove it deep into its neck before pushing it off him. For extra measures, he added a bullet into its head as Sombra walks by.

"That's a bit excessive eh?" she commented.

"Keep moving" he snarled, slapping on another armor disc.

With the element of surprise gone, they charged in, providing additional firepower to the attack. Like a tank, Agong took the brunt of the defender's arsenal, which would have easily taken down an elephant, so whatever is keeping the man up, they hoped it is enough.

Then the ground trembled.

"Looks like they're sending in the big boys" Sombra said when they saw two Heavy Assault units exiting the Armory.

* * *

*Doomfist's Office*

"Your friends are putting up quite a show"

Widowmaker said nothing, held suspended in the air by Sigma.

"I'm disappointed Lacroix, you should've known that if you came back without a body, we would suspect you"

"That's… Impressive…" SS28 said, watching Agong holding his own against a Heavy Assault unit alone, whilst Quillion and Sombra team up to fight the other.

She tried moving her arms again, but like the many times before, she is firmly secured in the unseen force.

"Well, shall we continue with the reconditioning?" Moira asked, raising her right hand.

Widowmaker looked at her with scared eyes when Doomfist nodded.

"Now… Tell me how this feels"

Unable to scream, she writhed violently as the purple stream snaked its way around her body, reviving days of torturous pain.

"There is no point resisting, we broke you once, we can break you again"

Desperate, Widowmaker held onto any memories that she could hold. Kills, missions, her unfinished work in Chateau Guillard, spiders, the grave…

The graveyard.

The image burned strongly in her mind, the possibilities of what could be in it, the unknown reasons why she would visit that place every year like some sort of religion. Her desire to know the answers provided her mind a small fortress against the torrents of pain.

For now.

All she needs to do is hold out until they come for her.

* * *

*Talon Base: Arena*

Bursting through another door, Agong doubled over, his hand over his knee as he gasped for breath.

Quillion looked around.

They must be in the arena, made obvious with a floor filled with sand and a few broken pillars. Looking up he saw that there are multiple floors that anyone could easily shoot down at them.

"Hey we need to keep moving!" he said, trying to pull the large man to his feet.

"Give me a second…"

"Common!"

"I said give me a second!"

His usual sarcasm gone and clearly on edge due to the drugs. His body is now bloody and covered with dust or shoot, but his eyes are still alive, making him look like a violent statue that is ready for the next fight.

"Why must you charge out like that" he asked.

"You said... Straight... To the main office... So I go straight..."

"I said right!"

"No, you said straight..."

"Well done coming this far" a voice echoed from above.

They looked up and saw a large man wielding a gauntlet.

Before they could retaliate, the man snapped his fingers and every level above them lit up like the stars as hundreds of machine guns roared at them with such intensity that they molded into one singular sound. Nowhere below them is safe as every corner is torn apart by bullets.

To the Trooper's surprise, someone is fighting back, as they are being killed off one by one by high explosive rounds that came from below.

Doomfist watched in interest for a while before raising his hand, silencing the guns.

As the dust clears, a blue dome reveals itself. Battered and on the verge of breaking, it has successfully defended the trio from any damage.

"So you have sided with Overwatch, how righteous of you" he called down.

"Aww common Doomy, you know me better than that" Sombra shouted back.

"Humor me, in one sentence, why? Why go through all this trouble just to come back?"

"You are not going to crash the world pendejo! I won't let you!"

"So you still do not understand that what you are doing is making your people weaker?"

"I'm not the one you have to convince…"

He sighed at those words.

"I have tried so hard to educate all of you that pain is the way to progress, but since you are so adamant to be weak…"

He jumped down and landed with a loud thud, to which all three to point their guns at him.

"Then I hope you will not mind if I teach you one last lesson"

"And what would that be?"

"The weak never decide the future" he said, raising a fully charged gauntlet.

"Get out of the way!" she shouted.

The punch was so fast that even with Battle Rage, Quillion couldn't dodge it completely, as he spun like a whirlwind in midair when the gauntlet brushed against his leg.

Agong did not even see it coming, taking on the full force of the punch, he was sent crashing into a wall.

Still dazed, Quillion could only get up to a kneeling position before opening fire. He swore that he saw the man smile before using his gauntlet to protect himself.

Seeing his bullets bouncing harmlessly off it before they could explode, he switch his aim to the legs, but the moment he change his sights, Doomfist disappeared.

Looking around frantically, the darkening shadow saved his life.

Pulling out his knife, he slashed wildly as he jumped backwards as the gauntlet cratered the ground.

"Impressive" he said, looking at the cut on his arm.

Scrambling to his feet, Quillion tried to formulate a strategy.

Just a tap from the gauntlet has put him in a major disadvantage, combine that with its speed and destructive potential, he could not think of a way to win without disabling it.

"Now!" Sombra yelled.

Agong charged with a loud shout, issuing a challenge of strength, which the Nigerian accepted. Bracing himself, he met the charge with a loud thud.

"You have some strength" he commented, straining slightly under the massive weight.

"I've fought with a gorilla before, whaddaya think little man?"

"Well… Looks like we have something in common"

In an amazing display of strength, Doomfist leaned forward and began crushing the much larger man backwards.

"Any time now Mexican…" Agong grunted.

_Apagando las luces!_

The room was thrown into darkness as the EMP knock out the lights, the only source of light came from the Arena as the trio opened fire, desperate to put their opponent down as quickly as possible.

"Viva Mexico!" Sombra shouted as her machine pistol spat towards its target.

But like a ghost, Doomfist evaded them easily, seemingly unbothered by the loss of the gauntlet.

"Common Quillion! Can't you do that thing you always do?" Sombra shouted.

He didn't answer. Of course he tried to activate Battle Rage again... But it brought in an unexpected problem.

His body seem to be subconsciously resisting his commands to activate it.

"Fine" he thought.

Accurately predicting Doomfist's movements, he pulled a pin from a grenade and waits for him to land into his trap.

"Gotcha"

He heaved to throw it, it unexpectedly slipped out of his fingers and hung midair. He barely had time to dive away when it exploded.

"Tsk tsk tsk, you cannot do that" a familiar voice said behind him.

One of the voices that Quillion came for.

Sigma.

Setting his rifle to full auto, he sprayed into the darkness but hit nothing.

"Come out you coward!" he shouted.

"To be fair we are out, you just don't see us" another cursed voice replied.

SS28.

Slapping in another mag, he whipped around and obliterate everything he could aim at. Just as it shot its last bullet, the rifle is slashed into two in his hands.

"Careful, I need him whole for a successful dissection"

"Oi! We need help here!" Sombra cried out again.

He ignored them, not caring that Agong is still on the ground or that the gauntlet came alive with electricity.

His targets are here and he is going to make them pay.

The lights came on and he finally saw them standing nearby.

Raising his pistol, he was about to pull the trigger when he was tackled to the ground.

"Don't you dare!" Agong shouted, wrestling the pistol away.

"What the f- what are you doing?!"

"Looks like using you as a shield worked" Sigma said to Widow, who hung in the air between them.

"Guys?" Sombra cried out, desperate to get their attention.

"What are you going to do now without your muscles?" Doomfist taunted.

Seeing that the fight is lost, she began typing something in the air desperately, but before she could complete the code, he grabbed her hand and, with a flick of his thumb, he broke her nails, causing her to cry out in pain.

"Oh no no no, you are not going to get out of here alive" he said, watching her trying to free her hand.

Flinging her body by her arm like a towel, he slammed her head against his gauntlet.

"I always wonder… How would a human face fare against 1% power of the gauntlet?"

"Wait! Pl-" she began but was cut off as her face crashed into the gauntlet again.

"Sorry you have to speak up" he said as she sank to her knees.

He let go and saw that consciousness is slowly leaving her body. It even looked like she is fading away.

"Looks like two hits, goodbye little hacker"

His punch was an inch away from her face when she disappeared.

"Get off of me!" a shout came under Agong, who still have not let him go.

"Not until you apologize!"

Agong felt a tap on his shoulder.

'What?" he asked, looking back.

His last memory is a metallic fist coming at him. The fist which ended his life.

Quillion watch as Agong's head hung in an unnatural angle, his entire body weight now pinning him firmly to the ground.

"Interrogate him, we need to know who else is here, Morrison always sends backup"

Unable to move, Quillion let out a blood guttural cry before he was knocked unconscious by an Enforcer.

"Don't look so disappointed Lacroix, you have a new roommate" Moira said gleefully.

"Where is Reaper? He should be here by now" Doomfist asked the nearest Enforcer, who quickly shook his head.

* * *

Hello readers,

Hope everyone has been doing well and has been staying healthy?

This is only a small announcement that I am very thankful for all of you to help me reach a threshold of 10,000 views! Though the number maybe small, it gives me motivation to finish this story and to post it on a weekly basis.

As a little heads up, at this present time I do not think this story will reach its original plan of 75 chapters, seeing how the plot is going and all that. So I suppose we are coming to a close, I hope that I will be able to flesh out the ending in a satisfying way.

Until then... A moment of silence for one of the characters I had the most fun to write...

Goodbye Agong, you were an interesting character.


	60. Chp 60 - Extraction

*Russia: Volskaya Industries*

It has been almost a day since Zarya's call for extraction. Not anywhere near enough time for the PR team to spin any sort of story for their shareholders and newfound buyers that could explain why the invincible Executioner is suddenly in a vulnerable position.

Millions of dollars, her status, her reputation, even her company, is now at risk, all because Zarya just had to attack the city. Though it is nothing short of a miracle that it could fight for a literal week with an inexperienced pilot, as it was not designed to take on an entire army by itself, as it was designed to be the unstoppable factor to end battles, not to fight in attrition warfare.

Combined that with a blackmailer that could ensure the end of everything she had worked for, Katya paced even faster in her office, unable to be still for even a moment. Glancing out the window, she saw the crowd of people outside, despite the snow, eager to watch pilots to take off in their brand new Mechs.

A knock came from the door and she checked her wristband, seeing that it is one of her guards. Admitting entrance, he (or is it a she? Katya couldn't tell with all the armor on) came in with a file and passed it to her, saluting before walking out.

Skimming through its pages, she saw a morbid analysis.

The Executioner's overall combat effectiveness has fallen far below her estimates, too low. Despite using the best materials available to create it, a machine is, ultimately, still a machine. Zarya had, and still is, pushed it to its maximum capacity ever since she entered it despite the warnings they gave her.

The Barrier Generators has absorbed an enormous amount of energy and in turn, became an unforeseen weakness. Though the Barriers are largely impenetrable to anything short of a Titan, the Twin Cannon has begun to melt, as according to the reports, it is firing at 200% in such ways that one would assume the trigger is glued to fire. If this keeps up, the Executioner will soon lose its Axe.

The Hull has also been damaged, its integrity requiring immediate attention. Deep dents, cracks, and gashes have been detected by the system, allowing the toxic fumes of battle and the cold air to enter the cockpit. It may have a regulator, it would not be enough to filter these for long periods of time.

Finally, and possibly the most critical, is the control panels in the cockpit. Katya read in horror as many of its delicate controls are damaged. Due to the lack of time and training, they had made it so simple that a child can operate it, therefore it does not require strenuous or forceful actions, but judging by the analysis, it looked as if Zarya had been using them as if they were literal handles to its massive arms or legs.

If no action is taken soon, Zarya will be weaponless, defenseless, and immobile in the heart of a Null Sector city.

Katya weighed her options.

At this point and time, they have amassed a sizable force and, though it is enough to rescue Zarya, it can only do just that, a rescue mission. Therefore, this would show that even with new Mechs, they are incapable to defeat a battered Null Sector force, a direct contradiction to their carefully crafted marketing campaign, potentially losing the company millions of dollars in sales.

She was so deep in thought she did not hear the door opening slowly. Only from a cough that came from in front of her desk when she saw the door was ajar, prompting her to pull out her weapon.

"Mommy?" a little voice asked.

"Zaychik (Little Bunny)?" she yelped, quickly holstering the weapon.

"Is everything alright mommy?"

Katya looked at her only child, who wore her pink headband, jacket, and holding a Syvatogor model in her hands. She also noticed that she is fidgeting nervously before her.

"What happened? Why aren't you at school?"

"I wanted to see you"

"Mommy's very busy now, I'll be home soon okay?"

"Can I stay? I promise I'll be quiet"

"Mommy's busy-"

"Please?"

Her heart broke at those words. It is true that she has not been home recently, but with all that is going on, she has lost all track of time.

"Of course…" Katya said, resulting in her daughter smiling happily as she plopped herself on the sofa.

Grabbing a stack of papers and a few colored pens, Katya placed them on the table.

"Here, you have to practice for the competition, yes?"

"That was yesterday"

Katya froze. She ensured her only daughter that she would be there to witness her participation in the annual drawing competition. She trembled slightly as she recalled how much she was looking forward to submitting her drawings.

"W-Who took you there?"

"I didn't go"

"Oh zaychik… I'm so sorry"

"There's always next year…"

Hearing her daughter's voice so filled with disappointment and sadness broke her heart even more. Sitting down next to her, she wraps her arm around her, which she gratefully accepted.

"I missed you mommy…" she muffled.

"I mi-"

Katya the words caught in her throat. Not because she was touched, not because her daughter loved her so, but because the words she was about to say are lies.

Ever since Volskaya Industries began its expansion, she was caught in a whirlwind of power, endlessly hoarding wealth and influence at an incredible pace. Her sudden rise has given her a power fever that she has never experienced, before she was merely the most powerful woman and that was she wanted, but once she tasted what was beyond that, nothing else mattered.

Not even her daughter.

Unable to control herself, she sobbed bitterly on her daughter's shoulder, who didn't know what was going on, cried with her mother.

"I'm sorry mommy!" she cried, thinking she had done something wrong.

The door burst open and three guards rushed in with weapons drawn, making them jump.

"Mdm Volskaya, are you alright?" the leader said gruffly as they lowered their weapons.

She merely waved and they backed out the door.

"Are you okay?" she asked her mother.

"No… But I will make things right" she replied, stroking her hair.

She can still fix this, with all the wealth and power at her disposal, she could easily request for the competition to accept her drawing, if not she could create her own competition for her, she could…

"Can I have ice cream?"

It felt as if it has been forever since Katya had walked the streets of St. Petersburg since Reaper's attempt on her life, and everything felt new and refreshing.

The most noticeable for her is the quiet, no longer does she hear ceaseless grinding or drilling of metal and machines, only the sounds of an occasional car and people chatting around them is an almost alien experience. She would have stood and taken in the experience if it were not for her bodyguards who shadowed them, their presence being the constant reminder that she could be in danger.

Entering the store, she saw that the customers had already been paid off by the guards, leaving a nervous store keeper who did not know what was going on until he saw them.

"Ah! Welcome! I am honored to have Katya Volskaya in my store!" he said, relieved that he is serving the hero of Russia and not some self entitled businessman.

She watches as her daughter enjoys a large cup of sundae for herself while she merely orders a cone. As they are making small talk, the television came alive with a public service announcement from the authorities.

Katya barely glanced at it as it is another PR promotion for her Mechs or a rallying call for patriotism during these times, wanting to spend as much time and attention as she could to and for her daughter.

"I haven't seen Zarya in a while, do you know where she is?"

The question made her flinch.

"Yes… She's out there fighting" she admitted.

"Oh… I hope she will be okay, she said she would give me an autograph the next time I see her"

"She did?"

"Yeah, and told me to watch my back"

"Yeah she says that sometimes… What else did she say?"

"Together we are strong"

* * *

*Russia: City of Izhevsk*

Zarya grunted as the Executioner lurched forward, not responding properly to her commands anymore.

"Common you piece of junk! Move!" she shouted, swinging its arm in an arc, slicing a building in half with its powerful beam, crushing all snipers in the building whilst it collapsed on the Behemoths charging at her outside.

She buckled when a shower of missiles flew into her barrier, which would have knocked her to the ground if it were not for its hydraulics to keep her upright. Warning signs flashed blinked in front of her endlessly but she has now fully ignored them, as its only solution for the damages is 'Return to Base'.

Looking towards the sky, she hoped to see some form of transport of reinforcement coming for her but there was none to be found. However, she refused to believe Katya would abandon her, not after all she has done.

Raising her weapons, she only managed to pull off a few rounds before both Cannon and Repeater was shut down once again, automatic vents flung open as it proceeded to cool off the molten heat accumulated from days of fighting. Zarya waved them like a fool to try to speed up the cooling, catching as much winter air as she could in the process, but though it is faster, the Null Sector has recognized this vulnerability and pressed on with their attack.

Crawling over any elevated ruins or rubbles, the Nullifiers, and even Skirmishers, set themselves at safe distances and opened fire.

Braving the incoming fire, she looked around for a Behemoth that would surely come to try to break her Barriers. She had dueled with many with nothing more than Hull of the Mech and had dragged herself to victory again and again, though at the expense of her defences.

"Humph, they finally learned" she thought, when there was none to be seen or heard.

She knew an attack was coming, there is no way that they would leave an incredibly powerful hostile in the middle of the city unchallenged, especially if her barriers are invulnerable against small arms fire.

But she could not just stand here either to be target practice, if the enemy gathered in force, any extraction attempt would become increasingly difficult, she needs to secure this area now.

Looking for the largest cluster of enemies, she acquired her targets and lifted the Plasma Repeater, to which many of them quickly backed off.

"Too slow" she smiled, pulling the trigger and… Nothing happened.

It is still in the cooling process.

"Common!" she shouted, ignoring their attacks as she pulled up the data, which only flashed the words 'Danger'.

She staggered again as Obliterators unleashed a deadly load into her. Thrown around in the cockpit, she accidentally pressed one of the buttons as she tried to keep herself steady.

And the Barrier projectors shutting down, leaving her defenseless and weaponless.

The Executioner buckled again as holes began tearing into it, barely able to withstand the artillery.

Never a person to shy away from challenges or danger, she made a decision with a stubbornness and bravery that is borderline suicidal, a common trait of the RDF Heavy Infantry.

After a quick scan, she took up a defensible position next to a collapsed building, bending the Executioner down into a kneeling position over a pile of dead Omnics, she locked all joints and hydraulics in place.

"Let's see what this baby can do"

Once firmly secured, she unbuckled herself and took a deep breath, praying that a Behemoth would not show up, and opened her cockpit, allowing herself to fall forward as the Power Armor landed onto the ground with a loud thump, a heavily customized Particle Cannon roaring to life.

"Just like in training. Visualize, then execute"

Outside her enemies began to advance towards her position, confident that eventually the barriers must give away, though still maintaining a certain distance. They were so confident that none of them bothered to take cover.

* * *

*Russia: Volskaya Industries*

"I thank you for clearing your schedules to attend this meeting" Katya said to the few holograms present for the meeting, alongside key members of her staff and a few shareholders who are represented by the PR Manager.

"It is unlike you to clear your own Mdm Volskaya, what is the Emergency?" the Army General replied.

She took a deep breath before saying what needs to be said to her team and the Army.

"Comrade Aleksandra Zaryanova is in trouble, the Executioner is compromised, we need to send a rescue team to extract her now"

Silence befell the table as everyone reads the analysis that Katya presented before them.

"Are you sure that these numbers are correct? We were assured that the Executioner is the ultimate weapon against the Null Sector" one raised.

"This has to be a joke, these numbers cannot be right, it's too sudden to sustain this much damage" another agreed.

"There is no mistake, these are the numbers" she confirmed.

"Can she hold out for at least another day? We need time to figure out how to process this to the people" the PR Manager requested.

"What do you mean? They don't have to know!" the Army General countered.

"If you send someone off to a rescue mission, I guarantee you soldiers will talk about it"

"You dare chastise my men?!"

"I'm merely stating the facts! Word will get out and-"

"We are the Army! We don't need to listen to you!"

"If you have not figured it out, we are your only supplier of weapons and Mechs now, what would you do without us?"

"Are you threatening us sir?!"

The table fell into a chaotic bickering and Katya could only stare in horror. How could the military break down into a group of squabbling children?

"I will take the blame for everything!" she shouted, silencing the table.

"You do realize if you take the blame for this, you would potentially lose millions of dollars?" the PR Manager warned.

"Yes, yes I do" Katya said firmly, hiding her hands behind her back so they will not see them trembling.

"Not only that but your reputation, all the claims you've made about your Mechs will all be brought into question, you may even lose this company, especially when Zarya has killed a member of the HSI"

She did not respond as she contemplated the reality of not even running her own company which she started. She was prepared to lose millions but this? This is something else entirely. How would she even support her own daughter if she is fired?

"Impossible! We won't allow it!" one of the Head of Department interjected.

"She is the heart and soul of Volskaya Industries! Without her it'll be nothing!"

"There is one other option" the PR Manager suggested.

"What would that be?"

"We let Aleksandra Zaryanova die"

At those words resulted in angry shouting and even slamming of fists on the table, furious that he would even make such a suggestion, to which he recoiled slightly at the reaction.

"Think about this logically! It is the only way for both the company and Army to save face! We can spin this to make her a martyr!" he shouted above the clamoring.

Katya sat back down on her seat as possibilities raced through her head.

A martyr? Soldiers are meant to die anyway… And she could still keep her wealth and influence… The millions she has hoarded, the power she has rightfully earned. All she needs to do is to agree.

"What are you doing?" a small voice in the back of her mind voiced out, sending a wave of guilt crashing into her soul.

Why is she even contemplating this? It sickens her to even consider this. Zarya is a hero of the people. To be treated this way like some racehorse…

"But with your power and wealth, you can easily create thousands of more heroes! Each better than Zarya!"

"But she saved your life"

"She brought this upon herself for ignoring your orders!"

The internal debate raged within her so fiercely, it drowned out all the noise from the room. She stared blankly into space until someone knocked on the table.

"Mdm Volskaya, we need your decision"

"W-What's the vote?"

"The Army is for the rescue, the Shareholders are against it… It's up to you now"

She could feel their eyes burning into her as both groups were ready to spring into action at her word. One to create a martyr, the other to perform the rescue and have Katya take the fall.

She did not know what to say as she stood up slowly. There is no more time for delays, only action. She must make the decision now.

Her mind remained blank and she began to panic when something rolled out of her pocket and to the ground. She looked down and saw it was the receipt from the ice cream store.

* * *

*Russia: City of Izhevsk*

"Just like in training" Zarya panted, spitting to the ground as she looked proudly upon her handiwork.

In the 50 foot radius around her is littered with destroyed Nullifiers and even a few Skirmishers. For now they have retreated, allowing her a few moments to rest. Her Mech had done well to be the makeshift cave she took refuge in, but only for one more barrage, as half of it was destroyed, leaving nothing but a hunk of steel in place.

Running a diagnostic, she groaned when the Power Armor had sustained a considerable amount of damage when an artillery piece exploded too closely to her. Now a large piece of metal is lodged in one of the legs, disabling her from most movements.

"Call back to Volskaya" she ordered.

'Communication Jammed'

"Figures"

There was no doubt in her mind that rescue was coming, she just needed to hold them off until then. She rolled her shoulders and steel herself as her position was bombarded by artillery, a sign of the next attack coming her way.

* * *

*Russia: Volskaya Industries*

It has been an hour since their most experienced pilots took off towards Izhevsk and finally the city came into view.

"Dear god…" the operator said, watching their suit cams.

The city is utterly demolished and the Null Sector Army has formed a massive ring around it, as if the siege is still ongoing. Flying high above the siege, they followed the many trails of Omnics that seemed to be attracted to a specific part of the city.

"There she is!" the pilot shouted, banking to the left and his squad following suit.

They saw a familiar beam of energy piercing out of one of the ruins before it was abruptly stopped by a horde of Nullifiers charging in.

"Light them up!"

The Null Sector was not expecting another attack so soon after they destroyed the RDF or Osvoboditel' and were quickly pushed back as they landed in front of the ruined building.

"Comrade Zarya!" they called but there was no response.

"The Null Sector knows they are there, tell them they have one minute"

Their search became more frantic when they were warned, shifting away much of the rubble with their legs.

"I found something!"

They watched as the rest of the squad lumbered towards the pilot and their hearts dropped when their eyes fell upon a Power Armor that had been torn open and a trail of blood leads to the back of the ruins.

Artillery began to explode in their position and another wave of Nullifiers are coming.

"We have to go now!"

"Not until we find her"

It wasn't long when they finally found her.

With her back against the wall, she lay there with the Particle Cannon pointing forwards, her body bloodied and one of her arms seem to be broken.

"Is… Is she…?"

One of the Mechs kneeled forwards and opened his cockpit with a loud hiss, to the amazement of Katya and the rest of the team.

"What are you doing? Get back into your Mech!" the Sergeant shouted.

"She will not survive without a suit, get her back!" the pilot shouted, carefully dragging Zarya into his Mech.

"You get back into your Mech!"

Ignoring them, the pilot wrapped the harness around her and closed the hatch. With little time to argue, he pulled out his pistol and ran out of the building.

"That stupid son of a… Get her back!" the Sergeant commanded, turning his Mech after the pilot.

Securing the Mech with Zarya inside with magnetic lines attached to their own, their thrusters roared and leapt to the skies, going as high as they were able to pull.

"Skirmishers incoming, evasive maneuvers"

When they did not comply, he tried again.

"Can you hear me? Evasive maneuvers"

"Oh just shut it!" was the reply.

They watched, their somber faces illuminated by the ever changing graphics shown on screen and from the Mech Cams, twisting and turning away from various explosions and plasma streaks filling the skies, the pilot's panic face looking at the towed Mech ever so often. Painful minutes felt like hours before they crawl out of the range of the Null Sector guns.

Katya looked around numbly at the cheering people, wishing she could join this joyful event, but she knew that this decision has come with a great sacrifice, a sacrifice that will ruin her and her future.

Until her wristband began vibrating violently and a call forced itself through.

"Well… This is a surprise" a voice said gruffly.

"Likewise" when she saw who initiated the call.


	61. Chp 61 - The Shadow's Tale

For this chapter, you might wanna watch Sombra's Origin Trailer before reading :)

Hope you enjoy it.

* * *

*Outskirts of Venice*

"Well… This is a surprise"

"Likewise"

Lox trembled, not knowing if it was because of the gazes of both Overwatch's and Russia's most powerful figures, or because Sombra is fighting for consciousness as he applies first aid.

"Hello Sombra, I trust you are doing well" Katya said.

"Don't look so pleased with yourself, I survived worse"

"Why did you contact us? What is your agenda?"

"Haha… Just the way I remember you, always straight to the point"

Adjusting herself in her seat, Sombra grunted as she sat up as much as she could while hiding her left hand. Though she can hack just as well with her right, she does not want them to see that she is one hand down.

"I need ask a favor from both of you, as a friend and potential business partner"

Both Morrison and Katya looked at one another at those words.

"We do not have the best relationship with the Russians"

"I know who you are, we have not forgotten what one of your members have done, Overwatch. One of your members is solely responsible for the suffering of Russia and its people"

"I do not need you two to work together, I just need you do finish what you started"

"How do you mean?" Morrison inquired.

"I'll give you the location where Talon HQ is - You can strike them tonight and finish them off. And for you friend, all you need to do is to push for an attack and the war will end. You will become more powerful than you could ever imagine"

Lox glanced at Morrison and Katya, he saw that her words have a profound affect on both of them. Morrison's demeanor changed, when he returned to lead Overwatch, it took him almost a year to push aside his unquenchable need for vengeance, but now the familiar, almost crazed eyes are back. Katya's features had also soften to a hopeful look, the potential payoff is too tempting to just ignore.

"Just how much influence does she have on these people?" he thought to himself.

"I don't trust you" Morrison said, though the look in his eyes did not change.

"If you won't do it for me, do it for your man… Quillion has been captured, he needs your help"

"Quil?" a new voice came into the call.

Morrison looked away from the screen and seemed to ponder on it for a moment before motioning the person to enter. Soon Lena's face swam into view, causing Lox to flinch, worried that she might be mad at him for following Quillion's orders which led to her temporary distortment.

"Well look who it is, the girlfriend"

"Tell us what happened to him" she demanded, unfazed by the comment. Sombra tried to chuckle but could only cough as the pain in her ribs and chest ripple through her body.

"We just did a skirmish a few moments ago... It was a success but at some costs. Malaysian drug lord is dead, good riddance and Quillion got himself captured in a way you wouldn't believe…"

Lox could see Lena shaking with anger and even he is annoyed with her attitude, Quillion may be an impulsive and aggressive man but he deserves better than this. Success? Agong is dead, Quillion is captured, and she came back in this state? And now she is telling them to finish the fight that she escaped from? Seems more like a complete failure begging for help rather than a success.

"How do you mean success?" Morrison asked, his arms across his chest.

"Well, more like a temporary success" Sombra admitted, gritting her teeth as she tries to adjust to a more comfortable pose "But if you all don't attack soon, this will all be for nothing"

Morrison said nothing, merely pressing the mute button and continued speaking to someone, which Lox guessed is someone who can track the call. Sombra then turns her attention to Katya, who looks as if she is enjoying the fact that someone else is resisting Sombra's manipulation tactics.

"You're awfully quiet"

"You want me to win the war as a favor?"

"Yes" was the curt answer, making Katya laugh.

"Sure, do you want ice cream with that? Even if you have what you have on me, I cannot just win wars!"

"Ice cream actually sounds pretty good right now" she groaned.

* * *

*Gibraltar: Watchpoint*

"Jack, we've got to do something!" she whispered.

"Calm now, we do not know if Sombra is telling the truth, even if she is, there is always a cost for information"

She looked back at the screen and saw that Lox is almost done with first aid, a worried look still etched across his face. If Sombra is lying, he is not part of it, nor has he given any signals that she is lying to them.

"Any of you pinpoint their location?" Morrison called out.

"Italy, near Venice"

"Most likely a decoy, check it again"

Lena kept her focus on the screen, trying to figure out a way to get information from Lox without being too obvious, but she could not think of anything. They did not share any code words or secret messages like in the movies, there was never any need to, she points, he drops them off, that was it.

"Athena, are you still connected to Pilot Lox's tablet?" she asked.

"Affirmative"

"It's no use, Sombra could potentially hack it"

"I can still hear you two" Sombra called out, to Morrison and Lena's annoyance.

"Can't do any more hacking now even if I want to" she added, lifting up her broken nails for all to see.

"Lox, are you all in Italy?"

When Lox nodded hastily, Morrison sighed, as stupid as the question is, he has nothing else to work with except on, what he hopes is enough, the fear the pilot has for him.

"So why call us? Why should we trust someone who betrayed her comrades?"

"They were never my amigas, they were a stepping stone I'm trying to break… But I do have another request… Please save Amelie Lacroix? I owe her something"

"Amelie?" Lena repeated.

They had been trying to pinpoint her location for months and still could not find a hint of where her base of operations is. Morrison's jaw clenched, personally he does not care for Quillion, as he had willingly gone AWOL, but if she really is telling the truth, not only Talon is within his reach, but the person who ended Gerard Lacriox's life will be brought to justice.

"Sir! I picked up something! Going on screen"

They watched as the image shows a hooded man standing on top of one of Venice's many roofs, staring into the sky as if he knew that a satellite would fly over the city with both arms extended like wings, is if offering a challenge.

"Reaper…" Morrison muttered, his body shaking with rage and excitement. Finally… Finally after months they found him…

Everyone in the room backed off from their Commander as his very presence seemingly transformed before them, even Katya and Lox felt a cold sweat when they saw this through their screens, the air of an unstoppable soul pierce through the call. Gone is his usual calm and calculated person, now it is replaced with an almost animalistic rage and need, the rage of Soldier 76.

"Humour me… Why are you telling us this? What's in it for you?" he asked in a dangerous voice.

"A story for another-"

"You don't want to go to war with me…"

"What makes you think I'm that easy to find amigo?"

"If Zarya can find you, how do you think he would fare if I send him all the details we have on you?" Katya added to Sombra's surprise.

"Wow… I'm proud of you friend, looks like you've grown some fangs…"

Katya did not reply, there was no need to agree with her assessment. She has been greatly frustrated that Sombra had free reign to blackmail and manipulate everything and everyone for so long, especially her. This was the only natural course for her to take, especially if someone else is willing to do the heavy lifting.

Knowing full well that if Volskaya combines her resources with Overwatch, it would inevitably lead to her capture and possible death. Finding herself on the losing side, Sombra simply smiled.

"Guess… I have to start from the beginning"

* * *

*The Shadow's Tale*

My name is Olivia. 30.

My home was destroyed before I was born. The decade long war has rendered thousands of us scrapping the streets for half a mouthful of food. No one else came to help, we were left alone. However, there were a few of us who are capable enough to see the bigger picture, to see life beyond the rubble.

This was when I found my talents for hacking and manipulation. First it was small fries, like Commissioner Rivera, and the information that I was able to sell brought us out from the gutter and into 'higher' society.

Some turn towards more honest lives, while the rest, including myself, found a new family with Los Muertos, a gang that you should be familiar with. Despite what you think, we are not all criminals, we dedicated our lives protecting the people, to fight against the grips of King Viper whom you so conveniently avoided.

Sure, some of us go off our rockers now and again, but we were the one who provided food, jobs, housing, but it was never enough. No matter what we do, we could never seem to gather the attention of the right people, as if there is some hidden force that keeps us oppressed, keeps us broken.

That was when I went for bigger fish, Guillermo Portero, the King Viper. When I exposed him, it was a great victory for Mexico and its people, as I uncovered his corruption for the world to see.

Or so I thought…

Despite everything I've done, something kept him in power, something kept him up at the top, even when I topple its foundations. Was it because he was popular? A war hero? No… Better men have been brought down by lesser accusations without evidence, something else is at work here... You can imagine I was a bit… Aggravated, so I kept digging, I need to know who is really in control.

At this time, I was beginning to gather some fans, despite changing my alias to Sombra, many kept tabs on me. Some I used, others I ignored, and the things I've learned could bring the world to a complete stop if I ever choose to bring it up. Like one of your littles deals, chica…

This led me down a hole that is deeper than I ever thought, took me years before I finally found it. From what was a hunt for the truth became a quest to uncover a global conspiracy, integrated so deeply into society that I thought I'd go mad.

It found me first when I was tracing its transactions across the world, it was a simple warning, its very logo is clear. A Red Eye, or The Conspiracy, that stares back, telling me it is watching. It deleted everything I had, forcing me to start over. That was when I realized I needed an upgrade, to fight something this big would require me to sacrifice parts of my body.

First I was scared but once I decided that this is bigger than I am, that it will help the thousands in the streets, I made the decision to dedicate my life to uncover who they are and bring them down.

With my new body I was able to see it. It was like… A cancer… The Conspiracy kept appearing everywhere, it was infuriating to know that humanity has allowed this organization to claw its way into everything. It was this very organization that kept my people in the dirt, this hidden power that is pulling the strings behind it all.

I thought it was just a distraction, a false idea that leads people away from the truth that is hidden somewhere else in all that data. This went on until the day one of its agents was assassinated in King's Row.

Tekhartha Mondatta.

Believe me when I tell you that these monks are not all what they claim to be. They preach peace and love, innocent or guilty, but in the end, they are just as crooked as everyone else. These people are so confident that they promote their lies straight to your face.

We are all one within The Iris? Ha! What a nice way of putting it, since they have their grubby hands in literally everything. The UN, corporations, politicians, peace, war, Overwatch, Talon, Volskaya Industries, celebrities, books, pornography, name it and they will be there.

Mondatta was nothing more than a catalyst to drive the world back into war, all he needed to do was to become a false savior to 'mend all wounds' and everyone gobbled it up like pudding. When he became the 'icon of peace', all they needed to do is take him out of the equation.

It was so simple.

And now, while everyone is killing one another, these people will remain in the shadows as all the money eventually pours into their own pockets.

I thought I could take them out, to get close enough to them, so I joined their favorite dogs that do all of their dirty work, the organization that is closest to them.

Talon.

I have done things I am not proud of, things that still keep me awake at night, but my goal is right there. The cono Red Eye that stares back at me so much that it hurts, the very Conspiracy that is now keeping thousands of orphans starving in the streets of Mexico. They have issued new orders to Talon earlier this year to bring about total war in all countries, to have complete dominance over everything.

Russia was the first test, utilizing the Hard Light Crates, they were able to poison the entire armies without anyone noticing it, but to do that, all of Russia's best had to be taken out. You were the last one alive on their list Katya and that was when I finally decided that enough was enough. Feeling special now since I added you to my friend's list?

However, Talon is becoming more aggressive, I knew I had to stop them, so I began to recruit my own little squad. It wasn't hard, I needed muscles and unfortunately Agong was the easiest one I can recruit in such a short time. How lucky I was that during my research I found, with difficulty I might add, there was some supersoldier still alive somewhere in the country, it wasn't long before I found him frozen in some shopping mall.

I thought he would be like you, Morrison. A leader of a powerful team who has all the skills that still give Doomfist his nightmares, but equipped with a memory chip in his brain that I can play with. It was an almost perfect scenario for me, so after a little editing I woke him up.

The first few days were somewhat hopeful, he activated the beacon, made himself a home near fruit trees, he even detected me once when I was invisible, but he mistaken me for a rat that just happened to scamper through, and even destroyed a few Bastions.

But as time went on, I must admit I was disappointed. He has some perks but too many cons, but I had spent too much time and effort on him so I just decided to use him, especially after all the fake research papers I had to do to trick your AI into thinking there's Five Members instead of just Four. However, he has some skill and is relatively easy to control, so I decided to keep him.

The months after that, I just did some boring stuff you all don't need to know, and kept tabs on everyone while I waited for Talon's next move. When the time finally came, I merely pulled everyone together and made my move.

Tonight was supposed to be the final step, by killing one of the key members of the UN, they planned to replace him with one of Moira's new pet and through her, they will use the Crates to supply the UN Armies. No more armies would lead to countries breaking apart into warring factions that even the Null Sector couldn't fully conquer.

Soon all of your Mechs will be used to slaughter your fellow people Katya… Could you live with that? Your principles have always been just fighting "soulless machines", can you label a bloodthirsty man a soulless machine? Your designs are now all over the world, you will soon be responsible for the killings of billions.

Our little stunt tonight has stopped all that from happening, since their pet is still at HQ, that is why I need you to finish the job, to stop them before they destroy everything.

What's in it for me?

If you take Talon out of the picture, The Conspiracy will no longer have their dogs. Without their dogs, I can finally go in and find out who they are. Once I do that, maybe… Just maybe… I can pull the strings... The people of Mexico have suffered for far too long. It is time for it to end.

* * *

*Gibraltar: Watchpoint*

Sombra collapsed back into the chair, groaning in pain as she ended her passionate speech.

"No, it's not possible, the Shambali would never…" Lox muttered.

"Shambali's a front, it does not exist, the only 'follower' of its fake scriptures is that wandering one, Zenyatta"

"That can't be true!"

"Mondatta… Was an agent…?" Lena asked, catching their attention, her face wrecked with a confusing tirade of emotions, staring back at them, tears welling up in her eyes.

"No… He was the world's best hope for peace! The world would have been better off if it had been me instead of him!" she cried.

"He was no hope… He knew what he was and willingly died to create chaos"

At those words, a series of files was sent to both Overwatch and Volskaya, thousands upon thousands of emails, recorded calls, files, and news, all impeccably tidied up for them to see, all pointing to one inevitable truth.

"I… I cannot believe it… She is not lying… And all the facts she has provided have matched everything I can find, even filling up gaps in many public information!" Athena declared.

"No…" Lena repeated, gasping for air. It cannot be true, everything she had fought for, the suffering she endured, the nightmares, the many sleepless nights, her need for redemption. Was it all a lie?

"How does it feel, everyone? To know this information? Isn't ignorance bliss?" Sombra finished.

Nobody said anything, overwhelmed by this revelation. All but one.

"Charter a flight to Italy, this ends tonight" Morrison barked, springing everyone into action.

"You seem pretty jolly, you're gonna need this then" Sombra said sending the blueprints of Talon's HQ.

"The war goes on and I'm not a young man anymore, I didn't start this war, but I'm damn well gonna finish it" he said before looking down at Lena who was still shaking "Quit screwing around and get ready to move"

"Who are we sending?"

"Myself, Tracer, Winston, Mercy, Pharah, and Mei"

"What about Genji and McCree?"

"Tell them to finish their mission now, we need them"

With that said, he ended the call.

"I... Can't do it..." Lena gasped.

At those words, Morrison grabbed Lena and dragged her out of the room. Slamming the door, he pushed her against the wall.

"Don't you quit on me now, the world needs you"

"I don't know what to think anymore! Mondatta's a fake! Everyone's always telling me what to do! I can't make any bloody decisions right! I-"

Stars appeared as her head was flung to the side, a stinging pain across her cheek.

"Pull yourself together! If you want to feel pain and punishment, feel them in battle!"

A rare sense of regret filled him when Lena said nothing and slowly crumpled to the floor, crying silently. Seeing this he sat down on the floor next to her.

"Listen Lena... We all make mistakes, no one is perfect... When Overwatch fell, I knew it was my fault. Now I can either choose to live the rest of my life running from that reality and go back to the farm, or I can find the bastards to make them pay for what they did"

She said nothing.

"Either way, no one will think you are a coward if you choose to stay, hell in some ways if you go, you'll be fixing my problems... In my opinion, you should go, but why listen to the advise of old soldiers?"

With that said, he stood up and was walking away when Lena spoke up.

"Why do you fight? What's next for you after Talon? How do you know if you are right?"

"I don't know" he admitted after a pause "And not all of us know if what we are doing are right, we are still criminals after all... I usually let the historians to figure that part out"

* * *

*Outskirts of Venice*

"Well... Guess its just us friend... Will help me do this favor and win the war?"

Katya said nothing, unwilling to be manipulated further by Sombra but what other choice does she have now? If she does not do anything, things could play out how she said it would.

"What if I don't? What if I just let the Null Sector win?"

"Then The Conspiracy will have another dog to play with and everything we fought for will be lost... Also, how's this for an incentive... If you win the war, I'll delete the photo"

That caught Katya's attention.

"Think about it" Sombra said slyly cutting the call without waiting for the response.

"That was easier than I thought" she sighed, closing her eyes.

"Those were all lies right? You were just manipulating them right? Like how you did to Quillion?" Lox asked.

"You heard your program, everything I said was true"

"It can't be... I... I donated thousands for the Iris..."

"So did everyone else..."

"What do we do now?"

"We wait for them to do their job, in the meantime, call this number" she said, passing him a slip of paper "He is in the area, he will patch me up as we wait"


	62. Chp 62 - Mission in Egypt - End

First, I am really sorry that last week went without a chapter, especially after what I believe was one of the highlights of this series. I was sent away to a training, had to pass its exams, so the schedule got a bit roughed up.

Second, I think I have fixed the live stream thing to a good enough quality so here are the details:

1\. It will be a YouTube Live on my Channel

2\. 1st August (Saturday) 8:00am - 10am Western Australian Time

3\. Which would mean 31st July (Friday) 8:00pm - 10pm New York Time

4\. I'm thinking Q&A Session regarding the Fanfic but my goal is to try to entertain you all with what skills I have for the game haha, so just come along and relax :D

5\. First time streaming so be kind XD

6\. Video Title for the Stream is = Overwatch Stream for Adventures of Quillion (1st August 2020 WA Time)

7\. Channel Name = CJH

8\. Link = Listed in my Account Profile

* * *

*Maximilien's Mansion*

The moment the doors closed, he could hear the whirring of blades protruding out of the remaining Twin's body, hungry to avenge his brother. Taking a seat next to the door, he waited while accessing all of his operations across the world: casino, distillery, book sales, black market deals, and various other projects, finding great satisfaction to see that his profits have skyrocketed.

"Doomfist you fool, now I have the power to continue my legacy while you play with the silly idea of evolution. You should have known that in the end, machines will be the ultimate victors…"

Gunshots and metal grinding sounded from the room.

"Even you must admit that you are a hypocrite, you know the strength of flesh and bone are limited, that is why you desperately fuse yourself with machines, as if that would make any difference"

Dust billowed from under the door as a small explosion was heard, to which Omnic servants immediately went to clean it up.

"And now you spread your poison to my Null Sector brethren… Making them explore the prospect of fusing human emotions to guide their actions, as if humanity fusing with machines is not enough"

An incredibly stupid notion but it had opened an unexpected opportunity to buy most of their more strategically upgraded generals. Through manipulation, bribery, or even threats, they are now waiting for his orders to overthrow the so called High Council, effectively giving him supreme military presence in the world.

Two minutes left and the room is mostly quiet, saved for someone muttering.

Opening the door, he was disgusted at the sight. The silk curtains have been slashed to ribbons, the once elegant ivory table now lies broken on the floor, and even the finely crafted pillars that had beautiful carvings of ancient Egyptian mythologies did not escape damage.

"You will have to compensate for the damage"

"I'm fine too, thanks… Put it on my tab"

Maximilien turned his head towards McCree, who is leaning on the pillar smoking a cigar, looking quite ruffled but unharmed, with surprise. His calculations have opted for the Twin to be the victor, or at least cause some lasting injury, this is one of the very rare occasions he has been wrong of an outcome.

"You looked like you've seen a ghost there partner"

"Seems to me that you humans seem to have a certain tenacity to be respected" he said before turning to one of the butlers "Make sure McCree here gets a good rest"

Bowing slighting, it waited until Maximilien was gone before turning to McCree.

"This way sir" it said and McCree followed, whistling as he walked.

Passing through many rooms, he noticed that it became more elaborate than the last. One reminds him of some live theatre room only much smaller, on one side of the room is a stage and a few rows of seats facing it on the other.

The other room seemed to be some form of dining room. An elongated table is placed in the middle with expensive looking tablecloths and decorations with beautifully crafted chairs pushed in, however, all that's on the tables are computers.

"Guess they eat data" he thought.

Climbing up a flight of stairs, they reached his room at the end of the hall, it gave him a tour of his room.

The room is at least the size of a bar. Three large sofas are set up comfortably on one side of the room with a huge coffee table between them, next to it is a business table under a large chandelier, complete with plenty of expensive looking stationary, even the paper looks expensive. He noticed that the television is bigger than himself.

The backroom is even larger than the last. Another sofa is backed against the window and the king size bed looked small in comparison, only noticeable because it is elevated, requiring two steps to reach it. Facing the bed is another large television with the words "Welcome Jesse McCree" with room service details on it.

Finally the bathroom does not lack luxuries either. Showers, bathtub, and sink all come equipped with solid gold valves, even the toothbrush's handle is gold.

"Is it not up to your standards?" the butler asked as McCree looked unimpressed throughout the tour.

"These sort of things are never my type"

"Too bland?"

"Too rich"

"And that was what he said"

Maximilien waved and the butler backed out of the room, bowing as he left. He looked out the window and at the moon, pondering when he will be able to visit Horizon Lunar Colony and potentially buy a substantial share of it when something caught his eye, an unnatural glitter flickered from amongst the sand dunes just outside the grounds.

Carefully but casually moving to the side, he pressed a button next to the window while pretending to dust off a painting, activating a thin layer of bulletproof glass to rise in between the windows and sending a signal to the guards. Once the almost invisible protection was raised, he returned his attention to where he thought he saw the glint.

After a few adjustments on his lenses, he spotted him hiding behind a sand dune, the glittering of the scope located just behind two trees in front of it.

"Amateur" he commented, sending the coordinates.

Ensuring he is visible for the intruder, he exposed himself at the window, attracting its attention while the guards opened the gates quietly and began to surround the coordinates quietly, their presence highlighted as silhouettes for him to watch when a message came in.

"Incoming call from the President"

"Good evening Mr President, how may I be of assistance?" he said.

The guards closed their distance and began their search, their metallic legs wading through the sands like water as they looked for the intruder, causing Maximilien to consider hiring smaller and lighter models instead of the big bulky ones.

"Good evening Mr Maxmilien, I would just like to apologize to you that we could not come to a conclusion this afternoon"

"May I know when you will be able to give me the answer Mr President?"

"It'll be soon I promise you" he said, clearing his throat before continuing "May I have confirmation that you will be present for the summit meeting tomorrow?"

One of the guards uncharacteristically dropped to the ground, causing the others to look around frantically with callouts of a white, nimble character with Japanese themed weapons.

"I may not be present"

Blue light flashes randomly as tasers are being shot. Strangely enough, it seemed to be bouncing back at the guards instead of its intended target.

"Oh? A-are you sure? I mean the media will be there, it will be good coverage!"

"We got him!" a voice called through the coms.

"Yes, I will be busy tomorrow, however, I shall send my representative, good night Mr President"

Switching channels, he ordered the guards to bring in whoever they caught and meet him at the back of the mansion in the garden.

*30 minutes later*

"I remember you… You are with Overwatch" Maximilien said, pacing as he looked down at a kneeling Genji, whose arms and legs are bound.

"I am flattered you would remember me after so many years" was the sarcastic reply.

"How could I forget? Since you were the one who held a blade at my face after making a mess of my distillery"

"Glad we made an impression"

"Indeed… So tell me, why have you come? Seeking to have another introduction? Or do you think that you can capture me again?"

Before he could reply, one of the guards kneeled down and snatched an object away from Genji's hands and was about to break it when Maximilien held out his hand.

"Ahh… This would sell for a high price in the market, I thank you with my compliments" he said, holding up the shuriken into the moonlight "It has been exceedingly difficult to collect your shuriken in such a condition, you have done well to engineer it to be nearly impossible to replicate after use"

Pocketing his new souvenir into his pocket, he walked to a seat that had been pre-prepared next to the fountain, a few bottles of wine set out on the table.

"I did not know that you are able to drink" Genji said.

"Oh no, I don't drink these, I merely study them" he chuckled.

Removing the cork, he poured out a glass for himself and dipped a glass instrument next to it, bringing it to life and flashed a series of data for all to see, but could not understand.

"Ahh… This is a good blend… But good is not good enough" he said.

In a sudden display of violence, he threw the bottle at Genji with the force of a bullet, shattering the bottle at his shoulder, knocking him to the ground. Before he could register the damage, the guards pulled him roughly back onto his knees.

"Why are you here? Why do you snoop around like a rat?"

"Well, what's going on here?" a voice called out from the door.

They looked and saw McCree leaning against the door, flipping a coin and watching the whole thing with interest.

"I have not summoned you" Maximilien said, feeling frustrated that McCree operates with so much autonomy.

"Then I wouldn't be much of a bodyguard if I have to wait for you to call me, eh?"

"Well as you can see, I'm in no danger but you are welcomed to stay"

"Thank you kindly" he said, walking over to the group, avoiding eye contact with Genji while pretending to be sizing him up.

"I am going to ask you again, why are you here?" Maximilien continued, grabbing another botte.

"With respect Max, I doubt you'll get anything out of him like that"

Fighting back the urge to emit a sigh, he put the bottle back in its place, stood up, and told the guards to take Genji to the basement. Once they enter the mansion, Maximilien confronts McCree.

"Mr McCree, though you have been under my employment for a few hours, let me make things clear, never question or comment my actions unless asked"

"I-"

A metallic hand found its way across McCree's face.

"Did I stutter Mr McCree? Or are you deaf?"

When McCree did not answer, another punch skimmed across his face.

"I asked you a question"

"Oh I can speak now? Thought you wanted me to shut up"

"Don't test me, lest you can expect your employment to be cut short"

"Hey hey, I hear ya pumpkin"

"Good, shall we then?" Maximilien finished, ignoring the insult.

As they enter the mansion, Genji has already been tied to a pillar, his weapons displayed neatly on the side except for his katana, to which the guards seem to be wary of.

"I thought I gave instructions to remove all weapons?"

"We tried sir but… There's something strange with the blade"

As a demonstration, one of them approached it with his arm outstretched. Immediately there was a faint growling sound emitting from the sheath, growing steadily louder with each approach.

"Really? Are you all so afraid of a little sound box? Just remove it or be removed"

McCree masked his interest throughout the whole conversation, it has been strangely odd to him that these Omnic show such human-like traits. The only other Omnic that he has some relations with is Bob, to which he wonders if Ashe has ever reattached his head to a new body…

A bright flash of green energy and a roar blinded the room, followed closely with the guard yelling in pain. Their automatic filters shielded them from the brunt of the flare but still took a moment for their lenses to adjust.

"I suppose your caution has not been unfounded" Maximilien commented, looking at the severed hand on the ground.

"What happened?" McCree said, still trying to blink away the blotches.

"Get that arm fixed up, the rest of us can handle this" Maximilien instructed before turning his attention back to Genji "Tell me, how did you do that?"

"Would you believe me if I do not know myself?" Genji replied, watching the guard being escorted out by the others with great interest.

"Very well, keep your secrets, it does not matter to me, what matters now is how can I dispose of you"

A cart was pushed in by a butler, upon it are various tools, both sharp and blunt set upon it. McCree does not know if it was the way it was set up or not, but it made him feel grateful he is not on Maximlien's bad side yet.

"I never liked getting my hands dirty, but I suppose I'll make another exception now" he continued, removing and folding his suit and rolling up his sleeves.

"I have always wondered how much of you is still human…" he said, grabbing a set of pliers.

Genji glanced at McCree, who was still rubbing his eyes, and tried to get his attention by clearing his throat, but to no avail.

"There is no need to pretend, nobody will ever face torture with a calm heart"

"Oh there is no need for fear"

"Why is that?" Maximilien said as he approached the ninja.

"I have never liked to be tied down"

In a blink of an eye, the ropes fell apart and Genji leapt into action. Arming himself with his shuriken, he threw them at the Maximilien, who dropped the tools as the stars enlodged themselves into his hand.

When they heard his cry of pain, the guards poured back into the room, guns blazing, their analytics maximized to achieve the lowest possible chances to avoid shooting their boss. Once the smoke is cleared, Genji has already left the scene.

"The mansion is compromised, we need to relocate to the safehouse, come McCree, it's time for you to earn your pay"

"Whatever you say boss"

Forming a ring, they carefully but quickly make their way to the garage, where a fleet of armored cars will be waiting for them. Midway, the lights were cut off, throwing the mansion into total darkness.

"He really is an amateur, does he really think he can intimidate us like this?" Maximilien chuckled, their eyes already shifted to night vision.

"Imma just going to follow your voice then" McCree said gruffly, his eyes unable to adjust as it is still recovering from the green flare.

Sounds of whirling blades cut through the air, resulting in two guards falling to the ground, their heads sparking. Tightening their formation, they looked towards the door and saw Genji casually standing there. They opened fire and they were instantly cut down by their own bullets as Genji easily deflected it all back towards them, leaving only Maximilien and McCree.

"It's time to cut you down for good" Genji said, his blade at the ready.

A small click and a flick of a wrist, a flash of light exploded in the darkness, stunning everyone, while Maximilien found himself being dragged around unceremoniously by McCree.

"Get your hands off me!" he shouted.

"If ya didn't notice, he is out to kill ya!"

Deciding to punish McCree later, he allowed himself to be manhandled around the mansion, occasionally giving directions when they turned the wrong way or when McCree stopped to shoot. The difference between McCree and the other guards who came to assist became painfully obvious to him, leading to him writing a mental note to decommission everyone in his staff and get more serious upgrades.

Once they finally reached the garage, McCree threw Maximilien into one of the armored cars before crashing it through the gates at full speed, almost tipping the car over as soon as they are in the clear.

"Do you even know how to drive?" he asked McCree, putting on his seatbelt and tried to straighten his suit as the car rocked violently from side to side.

"Nope, I'm more of a bike guy, but hey, this is one of them auto cars right? Can't be that hard" he replied, lurching the car through a tight corner, almost tipping it again.

Looking in the rear mirror, they could see part of the mansion collapsing, as if the pillars have been cut.

"Looks like you need a new place there Max"

"Where are you taking me? The safehouse is towards the East"

"I'm sure that ninja guy knows where it is if that's the show he put up, most likely he wants us to go there"

Maximilien processed that information, it is true that the cyborg seemed to allow himself to be captured if he can escape so easily, and the only one who seemed to be able to stand on par with his skills is McCree, probably the best option is to trust the man's instincts, especially since he survived so long with a large bounty.

They drove through the desert with little to no obstacles, the silence ruined by the constant whistling from McCree, to his annoyance but he stayed silent, not wanting to disturb the only protector he had left.

*Some time later*

"You want me to go in there?" he asked in disgust.

"Ya know, not all safehouses are penthouses and 5 star hotels" McCree said, opening the trunk of an old car in a garage dump.

Maximilien looked around for a more favourable place but even the town nearby is nothing more than the sewers for him.

"No, I do not think so" he said, avoiding the sight of the rust, as if its mere presence insults him.

"Hey, you want to be safe? Down there is safe"

"No, it has not been properly decontaminated, look at the rust on the sides"

"Ya know… This is why I can never stick around you folks for too long" McCree sighed.

"What?"

"All of you are just too rich" he finished, striking a match to light his cigar.

Maximilien pondered those words for a second before he collapsed to the ground, asleep.

"Finally… I thought you'd never give the signal" Ana said, walking out from behind a rusted dishwasher.

"May I ask again why can't we just kill him in the mansion?"

"One, we are not assassins, two, if they don't find the body, all his operations will cease instead of being passed to whoever his next successor is, they should conclude that he is still with you as his bodyguard, a wanted man at that, so they would know it makes sense to be out of the grid, three, we explained all this earlier"

"Give me a break Captain, that Twin guy had chainsaws coming out of his hands, can't blame me to be a bit deaf"

"That was some horrible driving" Genji said shakily, jumping down from the car.

"Like I said, I'm more of a bike guy"

"Let's tie him up and leave him here, we are needed in Italy" Ana said.

"What? Don't we have to hand him over now?"

"We can deal with that later, Morrison found Talon's headquarters, we are going to take them all out now"

"You sure it is safe to leave him here? Reyes did manage to escape" McCree added.

"Maximilien is not Reaper, I doubt he could escape if we tie him tight enough"

Tying him up with a steel cord, they carried him into the bunker and sat him at the chair before securing him more with a set of handcuffs.

"Can't he just send out signals to announce where he is?" Genji asked.

"Do not worry, this place is secure, we need to go now"

"Let me just restock and-" McCree said, making a move to the armoury.

"Now!"

At her stern voice, they followed, leaving the sleeping Maximilien in the room, making their way to an airfield where Ana used one of her many connections to borrow a plane.


	63. Chp 63 - Battle of Venice - Prologue

Stream on the 1st August 2020, 8:00am - 10:00am (Western Australian Time)

Video Title = Overwatch Stream for Adventures of Quillion (1st August 2020 WA Time)

Link = Listed in my Fanfiction Account Profile

* * *

*Venice: Rialto*

A storm fell upon the Floating City, flooding half of the city as the canals overflowed with water. Tourists remain seated in cafes, enjoying their coffees or sandwiches while casually observing the water flow over their rubber boots. However, the locals do not share their enthusiasm, as the floods are no more than a nuisance, wrapped tightly in their raincoats, they slogged through the waters as shopkeepers turned on their water pumps and moved their stocks around to avoid the water.

The Rialto Market remained open as well, attracting a large crowd of people to visit as some parts of Venice has been cut off from tourists and many more move on to the opera to taste a slice of the local culture.

In short, innocent casualty rates will be very unlikely, a comforting thought for Morrison, who stood in the shadow of a building.

"Report"

"Some parts of the Grand Canal are busy, but I think there is an opening we could use" Winston reported, positioning himself on Grand Hotel La Serenissima.

"The streets are mostly clear, we should be able to move now" Angela added, looking out from Caresini, pretending to browse through the shop with a jacket and hood on.

"I'm in position" Mei said nervously.

"Very well, stay there, Assault Team rendezvous here" he said, sending them the coordinates before adjusting his hood and walking back into the storm, his cloak billowing in the wind.

Angela and Winston are already waiting for him under a connecting bridge between Teatro Bel Canto Opera and another building, he reviewed the map of Talon Headquarters and Sombra's attempted assault.

"From what she said, they have already cleared out most of their defenses, most likely we will be facing Doomfist and the other agents"

"I still find it hard to believe that she is telling the truth" Angela said.

"Agreed, we just have to wait for him to come" Morrison growled.

"But… Wouldn't it mean that it is a trap if he shows himself?" Winston suggested.

"It does not matter, it ends tonight"

"But-"

"Enough! Athena has confirmed everything Sombra said and she has never been wrong, we attack on my order"

The sound of water slugging loudly behind them caused them to hide, not wanting to make a scene so early in the operation. A few seconds passed and they saw it was Lena.

"Where are they? When do we attack?" Lena asked.

"Soon, we just need to make sure they are all inside" Morrison said, coming out of the corner.

"There's no time, Amelie and Quil are in there and we need to get them out"

Stepping forward, she was about to Blink when Morrison and Angela blocked her path.

"What?"

"We just need to make sure that this will be the last battle"

"And a quick one, I fear that if this drags out, we will be at a disadvantage" Angela added.

"Why do we need to worry about that? We have all done riskier things than this right? They don't stand a chance"

"I can only take care of everyone one at a time, once it gets messy, most of you will be on your own"

Lena bit her lip and looked at the group. It goes without saying that Morrison can take care of himself but Winston will be the only one amongst them who must be in the thickest of the fight, using his size and primal instincts to create enough space for them, which means Angie would need to be close to him at all times, putting herself into very dangerous positions. To make matters worse, Mei's inexperience will, if left unchecked, become a hindrance for the group, which in this last battle, is not acceptable.

Now she wishes Reinhardt and Brigitte were here, they would provide the additional support they would all need, trading off Mei with Reinhardt and adding in Brigitte to provide Support would balance them out.

"Where is Pharah?"

"She said she will remain with the shuttle, something about international law and all that"

Morrison was surprised that Faheera would be stopped by something as silly as the international law, but it made sense, she was never in Overwatch, and therefore this fight will not be personal for her.

"I see something" Angela said.

Looking around the corner carefully, everyone held their breath when they saw who it was, ready to grab him if he chose to dash out.

The rain may have dampened the sounds of his boots, but his presence is unquestioned. Shadowstepping into view, a cloud of smoke and darkness enveloped him as he walked towards the entrance. Though he does not have his iconic shotguns at the ready, he looked as dangerous as ever, especially in the storm.

"Reyes…" Morrison growled.

"Jack, we need to wait" Winston cautioned.

"Huddle up, this is what we are going to do"

As expected, Morrison, Winston, and Angela will charge straight towards the Arena and secure it, effectively attracting the attention of the whole base to them, as it is located in the middle of the structure, Lena take the left path to rescue Widowmaker and Quillion, moving them to the Harbor on the right where Mei should be waiting for them.

"I... I don't think I should be the one who saves them" Lena said nervously.

Winston and Angela shared a look, knowing what she meant. Though Mondatta is not who they believed him to be, it is still too soon for Lena to meet his killer, and this still did not count in saving the man who recently destroyed her Chronal Accelerator.

"There is no one left, only you can do it"

"Why can't you go? I'll stick with the main group"

"From past records, Reaper alone can stand toe to toe against both of you, now he will be backed up by others, it is tactically sound that I join the group"

As much as she hates to admit it, when it comes to a prolonged fight, Morrison does seem to have the edge. Taking a deep breath, she nodded, which prompted a surprising act of kindness from the old veteran as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You can do this Lena, we can do this. This war has dragged on for too long. Let's end this so the world can live again"

In that instant, everyone thought they saw the face of a younger Jack Morrison underneath the tired features of Soldier 76, the leader they missed, trusted and drew strength from, and their resolve are stiffened by his encouragement, readying their weapons.

"Go!"

Thunder and lightning cracked the skies as Overwatch charged into battle, Helix Rockets streaking towards the doors that lead into Talon.

* * *

*Venice: Talon Base*

"Very good, you truly are an integral piece in our plans Doomfist" the entity that calls itself the Iris replied, its red glare illuminated the room, speaking in many voices combined into a singular tone.

Ogundimu nodded in thanks as he sat behind his new desk, his eyes avoiding the screen.

"However, it is disappointing that you did not kill the hacker when you had the chance"

"What?"

His left arm suddenly shot uncharacteristically towards the back of his neck and before he knew it and was forced facedown onto the table by his own arm. He could barely cry out in pain as the pain receptors indicated that his arm has been broken during its attack.

"Did we stutter?"

Unable to pry the fingers off his own neck or call for assistance, he raised the gauntlet and broke the table in half in an attempt to escape. However the arm used his own body as leverage and simply pinned him to the floor. He struggled against it until he felt it form a fist behind his head, the shotgun shells ready to fire.

"When we issue an order, we expect it to be followed to the letter" the Iris continued, shifting the angle of the camera and looking down at the Leader of Talon.

Gasping for breath, he nodded again, deciding that no words can help. It is true that he could have killed Sombra many times over, but it was due to his own arrogance that she lives, he should have known that she always had a plan to escape.

"However, in recognition of your past services, we will allow you one last chance to redeem yourself"

He gritted his teeth as his arm snapped back into position, not only because he was holding back the pain of 'bones' relocating, but also to keep his lips sealed, as he was on the verge to deny their so called offer of 'redemption'.

"As you know the world will soon succumb into total war, we need you to keep it that way"

"Of course" he replied, massaging his arm, not saying more out of strategic necessity.

"But the only one who can stop that now is the hacker, find her and kill her. According to what you sent us, she is heavily wounded, you have two days"

With that said, they disconnected the call, the red illumination disappeared from the dark room, leaving him alone again with his thoughts.

Only weaklings need a moronic idea such as redemption, worse so a permission for it. Everyone must realize they must force life to bend to their will, never the other way around.

The sooner humanity removes the shackles that keep them weak, they will soon find the strength to take control of their own lives, ultimately removing themselves away from the weak and evolve into the strong, but for now, he shall bide his time.

* * *

*Talon Base: Medical Bay*

The room is very different from Overwatch's Medical Bay. Over there, one can expect to find rows of beds, a small pharmacy, and even an appointment room where Angela would be waiting. Talon's however, is worlds apart.

There is only a single bed that is under a large piece of expensive looking machinery. In fact, the room is littered with hundreds of machines flashing around them, looking more like a research lab more than a place of recovery.

Secured onto the bed, which resembles a surgery table, with steel bonds around his hands, feet, and midsection, Quillion waited for an opportunity to escape. He had broken his limbs enough times to realize that he could not force his way out of this, especially with the yellow spray constantly repairing the damages he dealt to himself, preventing him from fracturing his bones to a state that he could force himself free. He could not even turn his head.

"Have you tried anything that I haven't?" he asked, knowing that she is nearby.

"There is no escaping here" Widowmaker replied, already accepting her fate.

"Aren't you some kind of big shot assassin? You should have an escape plan!"

"Don't…" she sighed, the last thing she needs is a flicker of hope that their captors would gladly snuff out.

Unlike Quillion who is strapped onto the table, she is equally secured onto the wall. This was where she died and was reborn, she remembered trying everything to escape but all her efforts were dashed away.

"But that was before you became a 'big shot assassin'" she thought to herself.

With that singular thought, hope was fanned into existence inside her as a possible, but moronic idea popped into her head, if it backfires, it could very much spell their doom.

"Merde…"

"What?"

"Shut up… Let me think…"

Quillion strained to look at her but could not, forced to only guess what she could be looking at. The ceiling? Nothing is there that could feasibly help them. The tools at the end of the room behind the glass? Unlikely they are tempered so they could use the contents as weapons. Or is there a keypad he could somehow reach to unlock their bonds?

"I have an idea… But you are not going to like it"

"At this point I'm willing to try anything"

*A few minutes later*

"You cannot be serious" Quillion said in disbelief.

"I'm ready to hear your plan"

It is suicidal, absolutely suicidal and requires everything to happen exactly as Widowmaker says. Even if that is the case, there is absolutely no guarantee that he would even be conscious when the time comes.

But there is no other options or opening that he could think of, and she is the one who knows this place.

"Fine… Any tips?" he asked.

"You're going to be in a lot of pain"

He waited for her to continue and gulped when he realized that's all she had to say.

The door flung open and the sounds of many footsteps met their ears before Moira stood over Quillion, looking down at him with sick curiosity.

"Finally I get to explore who you really are" she said, putting on latex gloves.

Pure hatred filled him as he strained against his bonds once more, breaking his wrists, causing the sprays to activate. His target is so close…

"You are a stubborn one, you should know by now that you cannot escape"

"Get your hands off me!" Widowmaker snarled, causing the doctors to back away.

"If any of you backs away again, I will personally ensure none of you will leave this room" Moira called out, inspecting a large saw in Quillion's full view, grinning as his pulse quickened.

"Oh do not worry, this is an Operation, not torture"

His wrists made a cracking sound again, causing her to laugh.

"You cannot escape, stop trying, now hold still" she said over the sound of the sprays.

They were about to begin their operation on both of them when the door opened again, to which Moira dropped her tools in annoyance.

"Don't you see the lig- Oh, we-welcome?" she asked, quickly changing her tone.

Ignoring her, Doomfist loomed into view and looked down at him.

"Tell me, do you know the location of the woman you came here with?"

"Sure, do you have a crayon? I think I'll need to draw it out for ya"

"You have until this afternoon to break him, find out where Sombra is, after that, he is all yours to meddle" Doomfist instructed and Quillion could feel the whole room nod in acknowledgement as he left.

"Well, looks like I'll have to speed up the process here" Moira sighed, beckoning the people around Widowmaker to come over, apparently needing everyone to make him talk.

The blade dug deep into his chest, causing Quillion to gasp in pain at the assault, his whole body weakened by the insertion, the blade cutting deep, revealing what's underneath as the flesh opened apart.

"Interesting… Your pain receptors are still the same as a normal human's, so how could you move that fast in battle without breaking down?" she commented.

Her 'surgery' was excruciatingly slowly, avoiding all his vitals while she continued her studies without a drop of painkiller, saved for an occasional spray to prevent heavy bleeding, but not enough to ease the pain. Thrashing on the table, he broke his body again and again to try to get away from her, but to no avail, her blade easily accessing every part of him.

Soon a constant hissing sound emitted from the table as more of the spray is required to keep him alive. Moira continues her comments but Quillion wasn't listening, breaking his wrists again as he writhes in pain.

"For example, if you look at the organs here, it is obvious that it is damaged from an external object, but these here… It looked like it tore itself apart, especially here"

Widowmaker had to look away from the scene, swallowing her emotions back down. To escape they need to operate without emotions, but even though this is the only way to escape, she began to hate herself for suggesting the plan to Quillion.

"Before I continue, would you like to tell me where Sombra is? If you tell me now, I can proceed with a brain surgery, if not, I suppose I'll continue downwards"

"She's in Italy! Just outside of Venice!" he gasped.

Moira stopped for a brief moment and chuckled, some of the 'doctors' around her followed suit, shaking their heads at his words.

"You think we are dumb? We used to work with her and we know how she works, she will never be so stupid to remain in the area that she was just defeated in, she usually teleports to a place to heal, and there is nowhere in Venice that will help her"

"Oh you are all dead now… All of you are dead…" he managed out.

"We shall see" she said, stabbing into his leg.

Though the torture so far was only 10 minutes, anyone would have their spirits broken years ago, however Quillion is not anyone, he is now a cursed man, cursed with the ability to resist a tremendous amount of physical stress and remain whole. Now, he faced the pinnacle of human suffering and is unable to faint or go insane, only dangling at the brink as the seconds slogged by, barely able to even think.

"You are surprisingly human, I thought you would have Omnic parts for sure… But your evolution looks forced… Hmm…"

Quillion said nothing, on the verge of passing out but his body wouldn't let him, all he could do is to break his hands again.

"Ready to tell me where Sombra is?"

An explosion rocked the room, a big one, making everyone stumble where they stood.

"Overwatch found us! All agents, proceed to your stations!" a frantic voice boomed from the speakers.

"Haha… Looks like you gotta go deal with that" Quillion managed out with a smirk.

"Oh no… Do not worry, my station is right here…" she replied with a smile.

* * *

*Outskirts of Venice*

"I cannot believe you got yourself into this kind of trouble" the Haitian commented, patching up Sombra's fingers.

"Well, you know me, I live a fast life" she replied.

Lox sat uneasily behind them. Though he is glad that a professional is here, he is less than thrilled to see him and Sombra talking so casually to one another.

"So… You said your name was Baptiste right?"

"The one and only"

"How did you know we are here?"

"Sombra here called me a few weeks ago, so here I am"

"Ow! Watch what you're doing!" Sombra complained.

"There… All better, for now. Now lets see a smile!" he said, tying up the bandages and lifting Sombra's smiling face up with a finger on her chin.

"Looks like we are making some uncomfortable" Sombra teased, looking at Lox whose face became beet red.

"No! I just… I mean…"

"Oh don't tell me he is another one?" Baptiste laughed, dodging her attempt to kick him.

"If you say it like that then it'll sound like I'm a slut!" she laughed back.

Lox stared and for the briefest of moments, he enjoyed their banter, a moment without a care in the world around them, as if back to the time when Overwatch was the world's peacekeepers. Only for a moment.

"Wait, what do you mean another one?" he asked.

"Don't worry amigo, I didn't do anything you wouldn't like" she laughed, practicing her other hand to hack.

"So that means… We didn't… You just…"

"Oh my, he really is flustered, why? Do you have some STDs that need checking? Cause I think I got something here" Baptiste said, rummaging through his medkit.

"I… I… I…" Lox stuttered, feeling very hot.

"Oi Loxy boy, I already said don't worry, we didn't do anything that night, although it looks like it made an impact on you" she smirked.

"She didn't do anything?" he thought to himself.

"I only faked the whole thing about sleeping with you so that you won't tell Quillion everything that stupid Agong was bluttering out"

"But didn't he tell him everything?"

"I just didn't want him to reveal that Jampang is nothing more than my own little creation" she said, but when she saw Lox was still confused, she continued "In short, he made a promise to a fake memory to help me destroy Talon"

Lox couldn't believe it, everything Quillion had done ever since he was rescued has been driven towards the singular goal of finding those who started the Omnic Crisis! To find out that he is only a puppet to the woman in front of him... What a cruel thing to do! He could not believe he was ever attracted to this woman!

"You can't do that, you can't just… Create some kind of a… a… a… You can't just fabricate meaning into someone's life! Let alone a fake memory!"

"We can argue about what's right and what's wrong after we win the war ya?"

"Is that why he trusts you? Can you implant other things besides memories?"

"Hush now, I'm trying to focus"

With that said she immersed herself into her hacking, flashes of numbers and images flew by her so quickly that it is amazing she could see any of it.

"Just so you know, I do not agree with what she said there" Baptiste said quietly, joining Lox to watch her.

"What?"

"I always believed that right and wrong can be decided even during wartime"

"Ahh right… So… You know her long?"

"Oh yeah, I knew her even before I left Talon"

A loud crash echoed in the shuttle as Lox fell to the ground, backing away from them and grabbing the crowbar.

"You're-You're both with Talon?!"

"Bap, can you shut him up? He's distracting me"

"Hey my dude, I was with Talon, I left a long time ago" Baptiste said, approaching him cautiously.

Lox panicked and swung at him, hitting him in the arm when he tried to grab the crowbar but the pilot, out of fear, was more nimble that he would've ever thought.

"Fine, I guess we are doing this the hard way" he said, raising his arms and taking up a fighting stance.

"Go easy on him, he's just a pilot" Sombra called out, not taking her eyes off the screen.

"Hey I'm a Combat Medic, I know what I'm doing"

Lox didn't even see it coming, in a blink he was swinging his crowbar, and in the other, he was knocked unconscious.

"Phew! Is it hot in here, or is it just me?" Baptiste said, doing a little jig while rubbing his fist.

"Don't be so happy, he's just a pilot"

"Hey, gotta maintain that positive attitude!"

"Aannddd got it... Oh? Looks like Overwatch has already begun their attack"

* * *

Well I gotta say, even I'm excited to see what is going to happen next.

If the passage between Quillion and Moira seems a bit off, it is because after I finished it, I thought that it was too much into shock effect instead of story telling so I deleted quite a lot of it out, so yeah... Just thought to drop that in.


	64. Chp 64 - Battle of Venice - 1

*Talon Base: 'Straight' Route*

No words can describe the ferocity of the attack as Winston leapt into enemy lines, his Tesla Cannon made short work of everyone around him, stunning them quickly into submission as it is further reinforced by Angela's Damage Boost. When the defenders threw in stronger opponents that required heavier firepower to take down, Morrison provided with great devotion as years of pent up rage was finally unchained.

Even without his Tactical Visor, Morrison never missed a shot, his Pulse Rifle illuminated the base like a flickering fire, adding another body to the count every passing second. However, that was not what struck fear into the Talon Troopers and Enforcers, it was the silence, their attackers attacked in total silence, saved for their weapons or an occasional roar, as if avenging ghosts just appeared amongst them.

They watched in horror as the last few surviving Heavy Assault Troops were swiftly cut down, either by a Helix Rocket in the face or torn apart by the Primal Rage of Winson. Totally unprepared for an attack of this calibre, they routed.

They were told that the only dangerous foe they would ever face will be Soldier 76, as the rest are mainly non-combatants who could barely hold their own.

But what they had witnessed revealed a haunting truth. The destruction of Overwatch has left a scar on its survivors, a scar that will remind them of the ties that were forged through thick and thin, an almost familia love that has been torn apart, creating in many of the agents the wrath of an avenging child, who had never stopped seeking for the ones responsible.

And now that they have found them, there will be no mercy.

All except for one, who finally broke the silence.

Leaving Winston to deal with a group of Enforcers who attempted to ambush them from a corner, Morrison continued onwards to trigger the next ambush, which sure enough, a group of Troopers revealed themselves, their arms high in a sign of surrender.

"Morrison no!" Angela cried, but it was too late, as Morrison mercilessly gunned them down.

"Keep moving" he ordered in a murderous tone as she inspected the bodies.

"They were surrendering!"

Without saying anything, he kicked one of the Trooper's hands revealing a hidden grenade, its pin almost ejected from its case, much to Angela's dismay.

"Their families are all under the barrel of a gun, that is why they will not surrender here, that is how Talon works" he said coldly, reloading his Pulse Rifle as heavy footsteps approached them from behind.

"Why have we stopped?" Winston asked.

Knowing that she needs a clear mind to perform properly in battle, Morrison pointed to another body on the floor.

"He is the medic, get him up"

Knowing full well he will not offer this opportunity the second time, Angela immediately added a healing stream to the medic, who thankfully seemed compatible as his eyes fluttered open.

"Stai bene?" she asked.

He blinked confusingly as he is now looking into the blue eyes of an angel.

"Sono morto?" he muttered.

"Prenditi cura di loro" she ordered, pointing to the bodies.

He looked around confusingly and placed a hand over his heart, checking if it was still beating, convinced that he was shot somewhere near it when he attempted to surrender with his men.

"G-grazie?" he finally said before moving to check the bodies.

Satisfied that he can move, she looked at Morrison angrily, who pretended to look ahead. He knew that look too well, of all the members who have served in Overwatch, she had always been the most vocal against his methods. Thankfully another group of Talon troops came around the corner, this time their intentions clear as they were all carrying weapons.

As Morrison stepped forward to meet them, a strange movement caught her eye.

"Look out!" she yelled, pulling out her pistol and shot towards the wall, one floor above them, revealing a camouflage figure into view.

The Assassin attempted to escape but Winston was on her immediately, pinning her down on the first floor and knocking her unconscious, not knowing that he fell into a trap. A loud bang rang through the air and a loud ricochet sound emitted from Winston as the bullet tore apart pieces of his armor.

With Morrison occupied with the new wave and Winston pinned down, she reluctantly checked her ammo and flew out to find the Sniper, who she spotted on the other side of the floor. Blinding her with a sudden flash of golden light, Angela took aim and shot the rifle out of her hands before charging. The Sniper pulled out her own pistol and tried to shoot Angela down, but the nimble suit was too fast and she found herself on the ground, looking into the barrel of a pistol.

"Ga vidare, gor det" the Sniper growled, admitting defeat.

"Ar du svensk?"

"Nej, men du ar det"

Her hand trembled at those words, how much do they know? With little time to think, Angela pistol whipped the Sniper across the chin, knocking her out almost immediately, shouting "Medic!" before flying towards Winston.

"Winston! Are you alright?" she asked, looking around them for other Assassins or Snipers.

He nodded, adjusting his suit to better protect the new hole that the bullet tore open as a healing stream is applied.

"I'm sorry" Winston said.

"What?"

"For getting shot, I know it must not be easy for you to take care of everyone"

"Oh don't worry monkey… What does the good doctor always say? Heroes never die" a voice called out from the shadows, his Hellfire Shotguns pointed at both of them "But you are no hero, are you?".

Instinctively, Winston pushed Angela behind him, snarling at the approaching mercenary, who remained unfazed, despite the sight of static electricity jumping to life from the Tesla Cannon.

"Relax monkey, I'm just here to make a deal"

"What deal?" Winston asked, carefully observing the shotguns.

"You're here to destroy Talon, I can help you, but in exchange, you give me Morrison"

"And why should we even listen to you?"

"Because Doomfist is preparing to leave and you will not be there in time to stop him"

"We'll take our chances" Angela said, twisting her staff to emit a blue beam, to which Reaper cackled when he saw it.

"I never understood how a pacifist can have that function"

"Why do you want to destroy Talon?" Winston asked, his weapon never leaving the mercenary.

"Let's just say that some of us know what Sombra has been up to" he replied, fading away.

"What was that about?" Angela wondered.

"I don't know"

A hoarse cry snapped them back to reality when they recognized whose it was, quickly jumping down to the floor below.

Morrison has been knocked to the ground but his rifle is still firing at the enemy, who is floating towards them with an arm outstretched, a black hole absorbing all attacks.

"That's quite far enough" Sigma said before launching a boulder at them.

* * *

*Talon Base: Medical Bay*

Quillion strained against his bonds again as another shot of pain bolted through his body, the constant sprays no longer providing any comfort. He is unable to even cry out in pain as his throat becomes desert dry.

This is too much to bear, he does not even want to escape anymore, all he wants is relief from this pain. Widowmaker's plan is impossible, no one would have endured this, no one could, even his pride has been shattered as he tries to beg her to stop, but his tongue has been stuck to the roof of his mouth minutes ago. Unable to faint, his mind settles on the very last thing it begged him to do.

If he could only convince himself that he does not want to kill any of them, to forgive them for all that they had done to him, it could mean that he will finally be free. Once he admits and convinces himself that he will not kill them, he would break the last promise that he now so desperately craves.

However, there is still a silver of control, a control that he has to mentally, deliberately, and consciously make. Through the torrent of pain that threatens to break through this last line of resistance, is what must be either the computer chip in his brain or how he was engineered, and somehow he knew what must be done.

He must make the choice to allow the pain to take over completely or continue the fight. He knew he was at the crossroads, desperately leaning towards going towards insanity, but his fear kept him closer to resist going down that route. Whatever it was, it is the last thing that is keeping him together. And his reasons to continue resisting are quickly deteriorating.

"Let's take a break shall we?" Moira said, wiping the sweat off her brow.

Another explosion shook the room and the doctors looked at the door with concern. Moira barely noticed, eagerly reading the data that she had collected that is displayed on the side.

"This is an interesting discovery… The subject's internal structure seems to have some similarities to a Gabriel Reyes" she spoke out loud to a recorder, attracting her staff immediately as they crowd around to read the data.

"Quillion… Quillion! Are you still with me?"

He barely heard her, but he did, slowly turning his head to look at her, only after his mind registered that she had blue skin and glanced at her body did he remember who she was. With great effort, he blinked.

"You're almost there, the tank is nearly empty, you just need to follow the plan for just another few minutes, can you do that?"

His lips trembled. A few more minutes? Follow the plan? She is not the one being operated alive here! He tried to argue, to make a case that he cannot do this, surely she would understand that they need another plan, there is no human alive that could endure this much and still be asked for more, but only gasps escaped his lips.

"Look at these readings… It really does look similar but Reaper's is much more complex"

"Does this mean he can heal rapidly as well?"

"No… It lacks the properties required to fade, the subject's structure is too primitive, therefore we will not be able to create another wraith…" Moira answered almost automatically as she is immersed into her studies, uncaring who she is speaking to.

"You need to do it again!" Widowmaker hissed.

Quillion did not move, even if he wanted to break his wrists again, his body would have resisted any commands to move anyway.

"Do it! Don't stop!"

He did not move.

In desperation, Widowmaker closed her eyes in disgust for what she was about to do, but if she does not do it now, their window of opportunity would slip away.

"Desole" she apologized sincerely, before hawking up a spit and spat it at his open wounds.

The cold spit brought forth another wave of pain. Bucking his body around he did everything he could to wipe it off, but it was useless. Once again, despite the sprays activating, it brought no relief. So much so that he broke everything else in efforts to distract himself from the main source of the pain.

"Doctor! An Overwatch agent is heading this way!"

"Bring up the screen"

* * *

*Talon Base: Left Route*

Slapping a Pulse Bomb on the door, Lena Recalled away as multiple explosions ripped the metal doors open. She pointed her Pulse Pistols at the ruined door and waited for the smoke to clear, taking extra precaution by taking cover next to a water dispenser.

"Fighting indoors is always such a pain" she thought to herself.

Carefully peeking in, she was surprised to see a small room that looked like a children's bedroom. Decorated with bland, faceless dolls, a small bathroom, but the only thing that is out of place is the large bunk bed, which size seems to be for adults rather than children, and the walls either have deep holes or scratches on them.

"That's… New…" she thought to herself, groaning when she saw there are a few doors left down the hall.

Under normal circumstances, Overwatch would rely on Torbjorn on breaching duties, but now she will have to press on alone. She just wishes that Sombra's layout mentioned that all the doors are reinforced steel, dashing away her idea that it would be easy to identify the Medical Bay or the Holding Cell, as those should be the only ones with reinforced doors.

With no labels on the walls or doors, she proceeded cautiously, the distant sounds of battle reminded her that she is not only in the heart of an enemy territory, there is no other backup available to assist her.

The haunting memory of Widowmaker firing a round towards her crawled back into her mind, almost tripping her as she walked. Knocking her head with both hands, she pushed it aside, this is not the time to remember old memories, they finally found Amelie and Quillion could be with her, she needed to focus.

The lights flickered and were put out, throwing the hallways into darkness, leaving only the steady blue light that emits from the Chronal Accelerator, just enough to see the outlines of objects, but not enough to confidently identify what they are.

"Bollocks"

It is too quiet, far too quiet. The lack of defenders in this area is making her more uncomfortable than ever. The lights were not put out by coincidence, this was on purpose. Keeping her weapons steady, she proceeded down the hall, keeping low and close to the walls now that she is literally the only target people could see and shoot at.

Lena was about to plant another bomb on the door when a crashing sound came from further down the hall. Dropping down to a knee, she prepared to Blink as she tried to squint through the darkness.

"Get him! Don't let him escape!"

Turning the corner, a man loomed into view and ran towards her, closely followed by a group of Troopers, who seemed to be carrying batons.

"Help!"

"Quil?"

He is clearly hurt and limping, there is no way he could outrun them. Blinking forwards, she shot at the feet of the Troopers, who quickly retreated as they were not expecting a fight.

Turning around, she saw Quillion have slumped to the ground, holding a bloody bandage over his shoulder, gasping for air. She was shocked how horrible he looked, she had seen him in many situations before, but this is shocking. His once confident face is now sunken and colourless and even his frame looked smaller than ever.

"Quil! What happened?"

"Attacked Talon… Was captured…" he said hoarsely.

"Did you see Amelie?"

"Who?"

"A blue skinned woman" she said quickly as she inspected his wound, which looked as if he had been mauled.

"No, I didn't..."

For a moment she did not know what to do. She could not leave him nor could she give up her search now, her breaching must have alerted whoever is defending this route and would move Amelie the moment they get the chance.

"Do you know where the Holdings Cells are? Or is there a place where they brainwash people?"

Quillion tried to reply but instead he spat out a mouthful of blood and collapsed.

"Hey! Stay with me!" she shouted, but he has already passed out.

"Please Quil!"

Ripping off her glove, she squeezed his wrist and waited painfully for a pulse. He can't die, not now, not when she finally found him.

"Please!"

Her heart skipped when she felt it, but he needs to be extracted now.

"Hang on luv… I'll get you out, just hang on" she begged, throwing his arms over her shoulder and began dragging him, frightened how light he had become.

"How sweet… Looks like we are safe for now" Moira chuckled, adjusting the screen so that Quillion could see everything from the Operating Table, who is still thrashing.

"Kill her when you have the chance but leave her in once piece, I'd like to run some tests" she spoke into the mic.

* * *

*Outskirts of Venice*

"You think they will be alright?"

"Use your eyes Bap, I think they're doing great"

Watching through the lenses of the hacked CCTVs, they were impressed how much progress the few were able to make in such a short amount of time. That is until they met Sigma.

"You should've joined Overwatch, they look like they can get stuff done"

"Join the goody two shoes? No way, being on the run is so much more fun"

"Speaking of which, I don't feel comfortable to be back so close to Venice, mind giving me a ride to wherever you're going next?" he said, glancing out the window.

"I would but…" she said, glancing at Lox, who is now resting on one of the tables "I don't think he is going to wake up anytime soon"

"Can't you just hack in and use the autopilot?"

"The software's in this hand, so we gotta stick around until he wakes up, I told you to go easy on him" she replied, showing him her bandaged hand.

He sat down on the pilot seat and watched in silence as Sigma absorbed another set of Helix Rockets and lifted Winston into the air, but his mind wandered away. He does not believe her for a second that she couldn't hack the shuttle, she has other things in mind, now the question is if he would allow himself to play into her plans or not.

Unlike her, he does not enjoy being hunted by an unknown or an invisible force, all he wants in life is to open a clinic to help the sick and injured without the constant need of looking over his shoulder.

"What is she doing?" Sombra exclaimed suddenly.

Looking up, he saw that the camera is now focused on a Chinese woman with a coat that must be too warm for her own good, pacing around the Harbour nervously in the corner, clearly trying to stay hidden but is failing.

"Never thought Jack would take her along" she continued, quickly hacking into something.

"Is she lost?" he asked.

"She's gonna die if she stays there"

"Why?"

Opening another screen, it showed a man that still creates an uneasy shiver in Baptiste. Surrounded by Enforcers, Doomfist is making his way to the Harbour in full battlegear

"What can we do?"

"Oi! Amiga! Get outta there!" Sombra shouted into the mic, making Mei jump.

* * *

*Talon Base: Harbor*

"W-Who is this?" she asked into the air.

"I'm your guardian angel, get outta there! Doomfist is headed your way!"

Mei squeaked in fear. THE Doomfist is heading her way? Morrison only told her to hold here and ensure that they have a boat to escape on! She tried contacting the others but the communicators are silent.

"I… I... I…"

"Just follow my instructions, there is a storage room to your left, just hide there until they leave"

She did not move until the sound of footsteps echoed in the room. It was too late to hide, but she jumped into the room anyway, trembling as she waited. Did the others fail? Were they defeated? Why else would the leader of Talon come himself?

"Come out, I need your help" a voice called through the door.

"Wh-Who is it?" she managed out, pointing her Blaster at the door.

"I received Winston's Recall, I need your help to stop Doomfist"

Winston had said that there are more heroes coming, just that they have not all come to the scene yet. She cautiously opened the door and couldn't help but feel a tinge of hope when she saw who it was, if this man is as powerful as he looks, she may actually stand a chance!

"W-Who are you?"

He merely walked away and beckoned her to follow with his clawed hands, to which she did. Observing him, she realized he must be one of Overwatch's top fighters that she never met during her Cryo Sleep. His stride is confident and reeks with power, the image further improved with a dark robe. When he turned around, she had to stop herself from gasping, not expecting to see a skull for a face, nor with the shotgun shells that are slung by two belts across his body.

"Are… You sure you are with Overwatch?" she asked tentatively, her hand gripping tighter on her weapon, he looked more like the villain more than a hero.

"Let's just say I'm one of their many secrets" he chuckled.

"So you can't tell me your name?"

"Soldier 24, that's all you need to know"

Mei relaxed. Morrison is known as Soldier 76 to the public, so if this man has the same styling for his name, they must know one another. She also remembered when she first met him, he too has a very aggressive vibe about him, so perhaps that is why 24 scares her with his presence alone.

"What do you need me to do?" she asked.

* * *

*Outskirts of Venice*

Rapidly pulling up files, the engines roaring to life.

"What are you doing?" Baptiste asked.

"We have to stop Doomfist ourselves" Sombra said angrily, lifting the shuttle off the ground.

"Err… I don't see what's going on here, what's the plan?"

"Turns out everyone is useless! You want Overwatch to kill Doomfist? He is now escaping, you want Reaper to finish the job? He asks a greenhorn to help him! Why do I have to do everything myself?!"

"That guy's with you?! You really need to learn how to pick better friends"

"Shut up!"

He strapped himself in and can't help but smile at his own idiocy. He knew that when Sombra asked him to come, he was jumping into a world of trouble, but if he can get back at the people who are chasing him even once, it would be worth it.

Plus, it would be fun to work next to Dr Ziegler again.

* * *

Author Note:

If you think that Mei never meeting Reaper is too far fetch or Deux Ex Machina, remember in Overwatch 2 Trailer, she never met any of the other main team members (Lena had to introduce her), so I think it makes sense she never met Reaper haha


	65. Chp 65 - Battle of Venice - 2

*Talon Base: Medical Bay*

Lena's voice is carried over for all to hear from the screen, birthing a new sense of dread and hope from Quillion.

"She's here?" he thought.

How was she here? He made sure that there is absolutely no way they could've tracked them to Italy, especially after disabling her Chronal Accelerator. Worse, He has yet to fulfill his promise, he must get out before she makes a mistake.

Gritting his teeth and praying that they are indeed close to the first stage of escaping, he twisted his wrists violently again. Miraculously, it did the trick. A hiss then a loud clanging sounded from the machine hanging above him, followed by a siren.

"You truly are a fool, aren't you?" Moira called out, looking away from the screen.

"Should we sedate him?"

"No, he can't move even if he wants to, two of you" she pointed, passing a keycard to the two doctors closest to her "Prepare the machine, I shall return with the canisters" she instructed before fading away.

"I still do not understand why can't one of us take the canister" one of them grumbled as they approached the table.

"Bah you know her… No one can go near her supplies"

Attending the machine, they pulled out the empty containers and inspected the tubes that lead down to the restraints keeping Quillion down. He gulped, now it is the most crucial moment, this is their only chance to escape… All he needs to do is to wait for them to loosen the restraints just a little bit…

"I don't see any problems with the tubes"

"Still, we should at least check"

"Nah, we will just tell her it's fine"

Quillion's hope was crushed. This was their only chance and it is gone.

"This is why men are disgusting" Widowmaker called out.

"Ignore her" one of them warned, himself finding it difficult not to glance at her.

Ignoring him, the other man stopped.

"What do you mean? Not all of us are bad" his colleague asked eagerly. He had his eyes on the Assassin ever since he joined Talon, but he never had the chance to speak to her until now.

"Always doing things half cocked and your performances are always unsatisfying" she said, her French accent much more elaborate than normal, Quillion saw that she is even swaying her body ever so slightly.

Her chosen words seemed to have an effect on the men, slowly hypnotised by her charm, so much so that even those across the room, men and women alike, are beginning to stare at her. They had worked themselves through an ordeal that has heavily taxed their minds and bodies which would lead to one inevitable outcome: No one in the room could resist her, even Quillion had to fight to remain focused.

"Especially you, you have always been a disappointment" she continued, glancing down to the doctor who replied.

"You've been watching me?"

"I thought you would be different but today you have shown your true colours"

"W-What?"

"That you are a lazy person who does not even want to check a few tubes… And here I thought I could take an interest in you"

The words triggered a childish emotion in his mind as he sprang into action, quickly loosening the restraints.

"Hey hey! Careful! Remember this guy could still be dangerous!" the other warned, but his body also jumped onto the opportunity to earn her favor.

"Nah, the doctor said he can't even move, it'll be fine" he said hastily, his face red with excitement as he worked clumsily, his eyes jumping back to Widowmaker like a lizard.

"Don't forget to check his feet chere" she said.

Firmly immersed in her charm, they barely thought about it twice as they turned their attention to the restraints at Quillion's feet, even foregoing to rebind his hands, saying that with broken wrists, they could easily overpower him.

The instant he heard the click and the metal bars shift away, he attacked.

Both doctors found themselves flying into the walls, their bodies crumpling onto the ground. The others rushed to secure him but it was too late. He attacked them with surprising speed and made quick work of them.

Once the room was silent, he pulled out a jacket from one of the bodies, covered his wounds and limped to Widowmaker.

"You're gonna pay for spitting into me" he gasped, releasing her as the restraints responded to the keycard.

"Can you fight?" she asked emotionlessly, dropping down to the floor.

"Nope… Not unless you find some medkits here"

A whooshing sound came and a loud clanging noise echoed. Moira just dropped the canister and is now looking at them with a hint of fear.

"I suppose I cannot talk my way out of this?" she asked, unable to Fade away so soon.

"Looks like that's your medkit" Widowmaker said.

"Distract her for me would ya?"

To give Moira some credit, she did put up some sort of a fight, throwing a strange purple orb that seemed to suck the life out of them, but armed with a whole canister of healing sprays, she stood no chance.

"Now what are we to do with you?" Widowmaker asked, licking her lips as she looked down at Moira who is gasping for air under her heel. She is going to enjoy this kill, especially after days of torture.

Hearing a clatter of metal, she looked behind and saw the healed Quillion walking towards her with a knife on hand, which annoyed her. Moira is her prey, not his.

"Step aside, she's mine" he seethed.

"I think you are mistaken, she's my kill"

"And now I'm here to finish the job"

She shuddered slightly, not only those words but even the way he said it reminded her of Reaper. However, she stood her ground.

"No"

"She killed Emily and cut me apart like a frog, she will die by my hands"

"Aww… You have suffered and deserve justice, why don't you line up behind everyone else?"

"Move"

"Besides, she's mine" Widowmaker growled, stepping on her victim harder as forgotten anger bubbled forwards, the memories of torture and brainwashing came roaring back into her mind.

"She's mine!" Quillion shouted, shoving her aside and dropped to one knee, the knife raised over his head with both hands and drove it down.

Their argument gave her the time she needed. Disappearing in a cloud of smoke, the knife snapped into two as the blade meets the steel floor.

"No!"

He looked around desperately but she was gone, doubtless to somewhere where she can lick her wounds and, worst still, live another day.

"You really are an idiot" Widowmaker sighed, her emotions drowning away, leaving nothing but slight annoyance that a kill had been denied.

Breathing heavily, Quillion sat down on the cold floor, thinking what to do next. They are unarmed and deep inside enemy territory, which means the smart thing to do is to join Overwatch. However, he doubts that they have forgiven him for what he had done, so their best chance of survival is to sneak away whilst they battle it out.

Walking over to the screen that is still showing the battle outside, he realized that their only means of escape is through the elevator, as the Middle is still alive with battle and Doomfist is moving to the Harbour, where, concerningly, Mei and Reaper seem to be waiting.

Finally his eyes turn to Lena, who is carrying his doppleganger. Why is she carrying him? There was no way she would have forgiven him so soon after what he had done, why is she risking her life to rescue him?

"Why do you do it?" Widowmaker suddenly asked.

"What?"

"Why go through all that just to avenge someone who you do not love?"

"I made a promise" he said bluntly, ignoring the snort from her.

"I've done things to many who made promises and every single one broke it, non, your motivation is something else"

When he did not answer, she traced his eyes to Lena then chuckled.

"I see… You love that one don't you?" she smirked.

"Shut up, let's go" Quillion said, throwing away the empty tank. No sooner did it hit the floor when he bent over and coughed violently.

"You are still injured?"

The answer is a hand covered in blood. He looked at it for a moment as if trying to discover the secrets why he is still in this state, surely an entire container should've been enough? Out of curiosity, Widowmaker walked over to the table and picked up one of the reports.

"Well this is interesting"

"What now?" he asked shakily, wiping his mouth.

"Whatever promises you have kept, you better fulfill them soon unless you get help now"

Flipping over the X-Ray, all he saw was a bunch of useless black and white images, however all of them are of his brain and lungs, which can't be good. If Widowmaker was indeed as forward as she makes herself to be, his time is limited, therefore his options became a single option.

"Where are our weapons?"

"Most likely the Armoury"

"Go get them, we end this at the Harbour" Quillion said, scanning the keycard and gesturing for Widowmaker to go while glancing at the screen.

"And where would you be going?"

* * *

*Talon Base: 'Straight' Route*

Winston flew backwards as a boulder knocked him out of the air, almost landing on Morrison, who jumped out of the way and fired at their new foe while Angela quickly added a healing stream. Sigma emitted a blue glow as he absorbed another hail of bullets, replenishing his energy shields.

"So you are the famous Soldier 76, I must say I am disappointed"

"You must be Dr Siebran, where are your shoes?" Morrison asked sarcastically behind cover, only for a pair Hyperspheres to bounce off the walls at him.

"One does not look down when contemplating the universe" was the reply, pelting more rocks at them.

Slapping down a Barrier Projector, it provided temporary relief as the projectiles bounced off its surface.

"We need to change tactics"

_Het universum zingt voor mij!_

They found themselves lifted up into the air violently, even Angela's Valkyrie Suit could not escape the unforeseen grips of gravity, which sent them slamming back onto the ground with crushing force, knocking her out immediately.

"What was that?" Winston groaned as he rubbed his head and checked her pulse.

"Something about the universe singing, which doesn't make any sense" Morrison said, throwing a Biotic Field to the ground.

"There is no obligation for the Universe to make sense to you" Sigma called out, intensifying his attacks.

"Then let me tell you something that you definitely do not understand"

"What would that be?"

Sigma watched as Soldier 76 stood up to his full height, a red screen panel illuminated in front of his visor.

"Time for me to get serious"

"Futile!" Sigma laughed as his Hyperspheres tore open the barrier.

Flicking his hand, he redirected them at Morrison but he was already gone.

"Looks like he ran aw-"

He felt himself lurch forward as rockets exploded at his back, followed by a flurry of shots, chewing away his shields faster than he could ever calculate. Turning around, he threw out his barrier to block the damage but the shots simply shifted themselves, the hail of bullets continued to hit him accurately.

With shields at 10% and degrading fast, he focused his mind and formed the black hole in front of him to absorb the attacks, only to be horrified that the incoming fire stopped.

"No!" he shouted when he could no longer maintain his Kinetic Grasp.

Taking full advantage of this opportunity, Morrison resumed his attack, forcing Sigma into the corner. With no other option, he retrieved his barrier and placed it directly in front of him, this time finally protecting him but only temporarily as it began to crack.

"I just need time, I just need to check the math, give me time to check the math!" he shouted, his eyes crazed as Morrison continued his assault.

Before he could say another word, a chain of electricity pierced through the barrier, stunning the scientist and his mind.

"Universe! Sing! Sing for me!" he begged, his arms and face stretched towards the heavens.

Nothing happened. Nothing except that gravity that he once controlled slipped out of his body, his feet touching the ground, and the weight of his armor became heavy. He tried to regain control, but it was in vain, his body is now too heavy.

However the biggest insult is that he began to fall. Fall? Him? The only one in this pathetic species who truly understood the Universe?

Sharp, unbearable pain came from his knees as he fell upon them. He looked at the people who gave him this great insult one last time, his mouth moving to give them a curse, but he was swiftly knocked out by the butt of Morrison's rifle.

The Talon Troopers watching from afar immediately dropped their weapons and ran, leaving the way clear for them to proceed.

"What happened?" Angela groaned, coming around.

"We secured Dr Siebran" Morrison said matter of factly, ripping off Sigma's armor and handcuffing him.

"What are we going to do with him?" Winston asked.

"He is too dangerous to be left alone, take him with us, we will turn him in after we destroy Talon"

* * *

*Talon Base: Right Route*

The trip is mostly uneventful save for the panting and groaning from Quillion, who is still dragging his feet as Lena pushes forward.

"Common luv, walk!" Lena scolded.

Something is strange about this. Even back in Overwatch, whenever he is injured, he has never allowed himself to show weakness when he could help it. No matter how many bones he had broken or how crushed his spirit was, he has always forced himself to move, especially since his legs do not show any signs of injuries.s

"What did they do to you?"

He did not reply, merely looking down, seemingly getting weaker.

"Don't forget what I said to you the last time we met, keep moving!"

"I'm… Sorry…"

"For what?" she asked.

"For failing the mission, I should've been more careful"

"Well... Cavalry's here, so everything's gonna be alright"

"Yeah… Thanks Leena..."

She almost stopped in her tracks. For a moment she thought for sure that the way he called her name was different.

"Not good" she thought, could they have been too late? Have they already messed with his mind like what they did to Amelie?

She remembered years ago how they scoured every country to find her and only after months of desperate searching did they recover her with her mind barely intact. After she murdered Gerard, Morrison hypothesised that Talon must have broken her early and purposefully kept her in the dark to give them a false sense of security when they found her.

Could Talon have perfected their torture methods to break someone as strong as Quillion within a day? If so, they do not have the resources to rehabilitate or help him in any way. As much as it hurts to even consider, she could not risk the others to a potential sleeper agent, regardless of her relationship with the person.

"What is your mission?"

"What?"

She threw him against the wall and pointed a pair of trembling pistols at him. If he is a sleeper agent, he will be a dangerous foe, he must not have any opening, but if she is wrong, she is now pointing her weapons onto her friends, an action she could never forgive herself for.

But as Morrison said, right or wrong can be figured out in the future.

"Leena? What are you doing?"

"What is your mission?!" she shouted again.

Shock and confusion looked back at her, only to slowly change to disappointment and contempt. To have Quillion look at her that way was soul crushing, he had never looked at her this way, there has always been a hint of joy when he spent time with her, now it's just cold darkness behind them.

Her expression changed as she lowered a pistol and shot his leg, looking at him carefully as he cried out in pain and fell to the ground.

"What are you doing!" he cried.

"Who are you?"

"I-" he let out another cry of pain when she shot the other leg.

"Now!"

He lay still for a moment… Before leaping forward at her, his arms outstretched like a vampire.

Easily dodging the attack, Lena Blinked to the side and fired a barrage at him, strangely enough, her attacks merely bounced off the body.

"Heh… You are definitely different from what they told me, that's for sure" he said, each word changing rapidly between accents and tone, his face melted and shaped itself into the image of a young woman, seemingly now reaching her forties.

"Where's Quil?"

"You know, it is rather interesting that you did not ask "Where are they", didn't think you'd fall in love again so soon, especially after we killed your last one"

SS28 did not even see the Pulse Bomb, but she heard it beep for a second before it exploded at her chest, setting off a Chain Reaction that was never in the records. Stunned by the extra damage, she ragdolled in the air for a moment before finally falling to the ground.

Tears of rage streamed out of Lena's eyes as she stared at the body. Did she finally do it? Did she finally kill one of Emily's murderers? Then why is it so unsatisfying? And why is she shaking so much? Is it because she has never actually killed another human before?

Leaning against the wall, she felt her legs weaken rapidly as a new weight was added to her. A terrifying new baggage that she will now have to carry for the rest of her life.

Before she could collect herself, a stinging pain shot through her body. Looking down she saw a hand had dug its nails into her stomach, blood gushing out of it. By reflex she Recalled to prevent damage, only to be slashed in the back.

"Well, all that time in the simulation is not a waste of time" SS28 laughed.

Narrowly avoiding another slash, Lena tripped, her legs still not recovered from the shock. Adjusting her aim, she focused her shots at her head, but was all blocked when SS28 clasp her claws and formed a netlike shield.

Realizing she could not attack or run effectively, Lena quickly changed her methods. Quickly lowering the power usage of her Chronal Accelerator and holstering her pistols, she Blinked back up, formed a stance and waited as 28 closed the distance.

Slashing with her claws, she growled in annoyance as Lena Blinked rapidly but ever so slightly, her person barely moving but her being shifted around so quickly that a blue glow emitted from her constantly.

Spotting an opening, she stabbed a claw impatiently as the frustration of the inability to catch a nimble prey finally boiled over. This was also the opening Lena was waiting for.

Taking control of the wrist, Lena shot her other arm forward and sent 28 crashing the ground with a perfect Full Shoulder Throw. Any regular person would have their bones broken, or at least dislocated, especially when slammed onto a concrete floor, but to Lena's surprise, her opponent only suffered a large bruise.

Lena waited again for another attack, which came quickly. Redirecting the attack, she threw the less experienced 28 crashing back down onto the ground once again. She could not help but smile now, making a mental note to thank Genji for the extra combat lessons. Confident, she waited for another attack, watching her opponent carefully and kept her distance.

"Leena?"

Despite the mispronouncing of the name, the voice is hauntingly familiar, especially when 28's hair turns red.

"No…" Lena muttered, hoping just by saying no, the face would stop transforming.

"Why didn't you save me Leena?"

She froze as she was now looking down at a perfect copy of Emily, who scrambled back to her feet and looked at her with those eyes.

"Y-You're not real"

"Why did you let me die Leena?"

Lena couldn't move, her body locked in place even as a false image of Emily approached her, seemingly for a hug, a hug that Lena craves for, just one last time...

"Join me Leena… Join me in death…"

A gunshot rang out, snapping Lena out of it as Emily's head snapped to the side, the bullet just barely pierce her skin. Having distracted her attention away from Lena, Quillion bulldozed 28 away, crashing her to the ground, grappling with her until he came up on top, knelt on her neck and pried her mouth open with the muzzle of a Talon pistol.

"You first" he growled.

"Look out!"

_Géill do mo thoil!_

He barely rolled away as a brilliant beam of purple and gold shot towards them. Pulling Lena around a corner, he peeked out and saw SS28 scrambling away under the beam. He dropped to a knee to take potshots but a tentacle from a floating purple orb attached itself to his hand, sucking the life out of him, saved only when Lena pulled him back.

Noticing that Moira is merely pinning them down and not attacking, he turned his attention to Lena.

"Are you hurt? I saw you walking away with her, how'd you find out she wasn't me?" he asked hurriedly as he checked for damages.

"She had your eyes wrong"

"Ahh o- Huh?" he paused, can't help but blush as his heart fluttered, she knows what his eyes look like?

She looked at him carefully for a few seconds and placed a hand on his cheek, her gentle hands making him blush harder. Then she smiled.

"You really are Quil"

That's it? That is all she has to say? Nothing about him hurting her? What about her saying that she will kill him? Where was all the anger or rage that he deserved from her?

"W-What? That's a terrible test!" was all he could say.

"Fine, who has the biggest tits in the Universe?"

He blinked, what? Then he remembered the conversation they had so long ago. A happy memory.

"Hera, queen of the gods, Zeus's sister"

"Do I pass your test for a proper test?"

He couldn't help but chuckle at her wit, glad that at this time, he is permitted to work as a team with her.

"Where's Amelie? Widowmaker" she added after seeing his confusion.

"That's her name? She went to the Armoury to get our weapons, she'll be at the Harbour soon"

The beam stopped, followed by the sounds of a crowd, something being slammed down on the ground and Moira shouting something.

Poking her head out, she saw what seems to be the last remaining resistance Talon can put up. Everyone is heavily bandaged and looking desperate, almost as if they were forced to be there.

"Good, they should scatter if we attack" she thought, only then spotting the automatic turrets. They will need to be fast to break through them.

"We can take 'em, Zero Trace?" she said, checking her pistols and resetting her Chronal Accelerator.

He was quiet for a moment, knowing deep down if he activates his Rage again, he will tear his body beyond repair. However, this could be his last chance to give his all for Lena, to do something that can help her progress in life, even if it costs his own.

"Quil?"

"Ladies first" he smiled, ignoring the pain as his body finally complied to his demand for Adrenaline.

* * *

*Talon Base: Harbor*

Doomfist and his Enforcers walked cautiously into the Harbor, concerned that no one else was there, but with Overwatch close behind them, they do not have any other option but to hurry to one of the boats.

"Is everything ready?" he asked as they boarded, which is strangely steady despite the storm outside.

"Yes sir, security detail is waiting at the airport"

Nodding, he motioned for them to proceed. Untying the boat, the Captain set the boat to reverse.

"Well? Get us moving"

"We got a problem!" one of the Enforcers shouted.

Looking down closer, they saw that just underneath the water, they had been frozen in place. Dipping his hand down, he felt that it was extremely solid, it could even potentially withstand his punches.

"How about the other boats?" he asked.

"They're all frozen! We can't move!"

"Grab some explosives, we are blowing our way out of this"

"Won't that damage the boats? SIr?" the Enforcer added quickly.

"Then don't"

As they gathered what grenades they had on their person, Doomfist jumped into the water, feeling the cold ice blocks with his toes.

If only Sombra and her posse did not fight for Overwatch and corrupted some of his best agents, he would never find himself to be in this situation.

He must not be captured here today, nor can he be defeated. The world is broken and weak, unable to see that only through suffering can it see progress. Through war and pain will society unite to fight their common enemy. Only through an evolution of man and machine will humanity be able to make the next step.

He felt like he was back in the battlefield where he lost his arm. It has been that long since he last felt insecure about his abilities, about his vision, his goals. He thought defeating Overwatch would be as easy as turning his hand, however, he had never considered that the Ape would be so desperate as to hire a powerful mercenary of their own, this Soldier 76 is deadly.

"Where is Reaper?" he called out to the Enforcers, who are grunting for some reason, probably tying the grenades together, but none replied.

Theorizing what happened, he gripped his gauntlet into a fist and felt it hum to life. If they set an ambush here, he will be more than happy to meet it. Jumping up onto the dock, the first thing he saw was that all his Enforcers lying dead around their grenades, their bodies mangled and have deep gashes around their faces, but the attacker was nowhere to be found.

"Strange, it is not like Overwatch to play dirty" he thought.

The sound of a few people running in alerted him and he was about to punch towards the direction when Moira and SS28 stumbled in, both out of breath.

"Good, we made it Doctor…"

"What happened here?" Moira asked, seeing the dead bodies in front of Doomfist.

"We are trapped, now we just have to wait for the enemy to come to us"

Before they could debate whether they could escape by other means or to stand and fight, multiple doors flung open at almost the same time.

"Get on your knees!" Morrison shouted, his rifle at the ready, Winston with Sigma slung over his shoulder and Angela behind him.

"Yeah! We made it!" Lena shouted happily, Quillion panting heavily next to her.


	66. Chp 66 - Hold the Line

*Germany: Eichenwalde*

They dare to march towards the final resting place of Balderich.

The last intel that was sent to them was that the Omnics seem to have a more in depth insight of human psychology and emotions, recognizing that if they could defile this place, it would cripple the morale all forms of resistance in Europe, as Eichenwalde remains an almost mythological symbol of defiance against the Omnics.

Knowing this, the German Military has prioritized to defend the Black Forest but their forces are being held back by ranks upon ranks of Null Sector forces. In desperation they reluctantly accepted and, with great effort, drop the last living Crusader and his squire in to hold the line until they arrived, which hopefully will be within two days.

Reinhardt immediately took over and personally direct the defenses with the survivors who retreated there from previous battles, which included mercenaries and various units, whilst assigning Brigitte to plan out their offensive tactics. Their defenses total up to himself, Brigitte, and 30 men, numbers that he can work with.

The attack will begin at the base of the hill, where the Omnics will have to go through the chokepoint under an arc that leads to the Bell Tower. This will be the easiest to defend. With a clear line of sight and sufficient firepower, they can easily destroy any Omnics that attempts to set up heavy weapons, allowing Reinhardt to focus less on the integrity of his shield and more on protecting the rest. Bolstered by mines and automatic turrets, they are confident that the Omnics would never reach the Second Line.

If by chance they do, they will rain firepower down from the Towers just behind the gates, where the Omnics must also suffer through a series of barricades littered across the road. If even that is conquered, Reinhardt has ordered the Bridge to be laced with C4, ready to be blown upon his command.

Finally the last line of defense is the Fortress itself, where Balderich's body still sits. This is where the fighting will be the fiercest but also at its weakest, as many would have died before retreating behind the ancient wooden doors. But as long as he remains untouched, his memory amongst the people will not be tarnished.

Standing on the highest tower, Reinhardt was pondering what else could be added to their efforts when Brigitte came to join him.

"All preparations are complete" she reported.

"Good, we will crush the enemy!" he laughed towards the moon in a deliberate motion whilst stroking his beard.

"Reinhardt, what should I focus on today?"

He looked down at her, carefully thinking what to say. When she first joined him, he could comfortably put her anywhere in battle as she was a powerful asset to the team, her courage and mastery with the mace would have earned her the Knighthood she desires, but recently, many factors have held her back.

Her shield has weakened in power over the years due to her negligence to maintain it, even her Repair Packs have been malfunctioning. Her physique has been less sturdier than usual, and now she seemed to be more inclined to inspire herself than the others, though it could be because she kept comparing herself to her betters.

Now it will be supremely difficult for her to attack, defend, or support, if he is being honest with himself, he no longer knows where to put her.

"No lesson today. Show me what you have learnt!" he said finally.

"Yes sir!" she saluted enthusiastically.

He can't help but laugh. With people like these by his side, there is no way they could lose this battle.

"Go get some sleep, we have a big day tomorrow!"

"What about you?" she asked.

"A tale is only good if the hero walks around under the moonlight before battle"

She rolled her eyes as she left, leaving Reinhardt with his thoughts, knowing from experience that in this part of his stories, he needs to be alone.

Walking down to the battlements, he nodded to the few sentries stationed there as he inspected the three lines of defenses that were set up. With little more they could add and a few more hours before morning, he inspired the men with tales of his adventures. He was just describing how short Torbjorn is when a siren echoed through the streets and they jumped to their feet in panic.

The Omnics are early.

"Ah, my friends, what's with all this standing around? There's glory to be won!" Reinhardt shouted happily, grabbing his hammer and putting on his helmet, gold lights beaming from it's slits.

* * *

*Kenya*

"Achoo!"

"_Beep Dwee Boop"_

"Ahh shut it, it's not that loud" Torbjorn grumbled, wiping his nose as they drove through the Savannah.

He could not believe that the UN Armies have given up the lands here, now there is nothing to distract the Null Sector from his mission. They have to be extra careful as they approach the solar panels that are now powering the majority of the Omnic operations in Africa.

"_Bleep Beep Dwee?"_

"I already told you! I gave you enough upgrades, no sand's going into your system!"

Bastion fell silent with a sad beep.

"Hey! I ain't scolding ya! I'm just under a lot of pressure alright? Focus!"

Bastion said nothing and merely watched the bird that is resting on his finger, an action that Torbjorn knows full well not to disturb as this is one of its ways to reassure itself or something like that.

Another hour passed, he noticed that there is a significant decrease in wildlife. Before he would occasionally spot various animals, but now it is a barren land despite having no signs of a battle.

"Even the animals know that these Null Sectors are bad news" he thought to himself.

"_Beep Beep?"_

"Yup, we are getting close"

"_Bleep?"_

"I'll tell you when we get there"

Spotting a hill, they drove up until they were near the top, where they continued the journey on foot, Bastion struggling to stay as low as possible whilst Torbjorn merely walked.

"See? This is why being short is not all bad" he boasted.

"_Beep"_

From the hill they could only see a fraction of the Solar Farm but enough to see that it is heavily defended. It would not be wise for anyone to attack it head on unless prepared to suffer many casualties. What he could observe however, is that the other half of the farm is still under construction, but once operational, it could provide for a global size army.

_"Beep Dweep Dleep?"_

"How am I supposed to know why they didn't set security on the hills? What, you're complaining that there's no one here to stop us?"

"_Bleep Beep"_

"That's why I brought you along"

Bastion nodded and dropped into Turret Mode, scanning their surroundings carefully. Usually Torbjorn would be concerned as Bastion has always been trigger happy, however, with the lack of animals around, there shouldn't be a problem.

If the report is accurate, Torbjorn had to act quick, if he does not complete his mission within the hour, there will be nothing to stop the Null Sector from building the next farm, which could take months to find, which by then three more would've been built.

"Alright, here's what we are going to do, you are going to raise hell and I'll go in to set the charges, got it?"

"_W-w-wooooooooo?"_

"You'll be fine, this is Torbjorn made!" he said, tapping his hammer on its armor while adding more with an Armor Pack.

"_Beep Boop Dwee?"_

"I don't care, as long as it distracts them"

"Dwoo…"

"How about this, if we get outta here alive, I'll take you to the petting zoo"

Bastion immediately gave him the thumbs up and scrambled to a better position whilst Torbjorn proceeded down carefully. Reaching the fence that is undoubtedly charged with electricity, he took a deep breath and raised his flare gun.

Before the flare reached its peak, Bastion unleashed a hail of mortar and bullets into the base.

* * *

*Russia: Medic Camp*

Zarya woke up with a start, the last memory she had before passing out was her Mech running out of power and she had to crash through the wall to escape the wall of Nullifiers. Now she is on something soft and clean, however, the air still smells of snow and smoke, nothing like a hospital.

She forced herself to move, she need to set up in a better position, a chokepoint where the Nullifiers must squeeze past. Panicking slightly when her weapon is nowhere to be seen, she almost tore off the tubes attached to her body when she spotted Katya sitting next to her, apparently watching something in her pad.

"Good, you're awake" she said, looking up.

"Where am I?" Zarya groaned.

"A medic camp at the rear lines"

"How did I get here?"

"Some pilots volunteered to get you out, which reminds me..." Katya's voice trailing off as she pulled out some documents from her bag and begin signing them.

"We have pilots?"

A clap of thunder like noise filled the air as Mechs flew overhead, which was immediately followed by the cheering soldiers outside the tent.

"We do now, all thanks to you"

Too tired to even process that, Zarya just lay back on the bed, trying to figure out what to think about. Thanks to her? She did not do anything except rampaging through a city for a few days, how could she have possibly inspired anyone?

She watched as Katya called in one of her bodyguards, passing them the papers and saying "Make sure their families get these".

"What are you doing in a tent? Shouldn't you be back in Volskaya?"

"I am here to show my support for the soldiers... And to see my Mechs in action" she added.

"We have an army?"

Katya smiled and explained everything that happened since Zarya's attack, whose face darkened with every word.

"So you used me as some sort of puppet for your propaganda?"

"Like you said, wars are won by soldiers, and we needed something for them to rally behind"

"While you profit from everyone"

Speakers came to life and a very enthusiastic announcement sped through them so quickly that Zarya couldn't catch what he was saying, but obviously something incredible as the men outside exploded into a song, then a war cry... Ending with the sounds of hundreds of soldiers running towards a single direction.

"What's going on?"

* * *

*Russia: City of Perm*

'Braid''s worst fears are realized as the Revolution in Russia has been stopped completely, the cost of the war finally apparent. In a monumental and unexpected comeback, the people have rallied behind the romantic idea to fight and die. Somehow the exhausted population has found new strength to not only resist, but to fight back.

An avalanche of reports came crashing in as Null Sector units from around the world are also faltering. Normally a war of attrition against the Null Sectors is suicidal, however, the supply lines from Maximilien have become fatally careless. The once carefully guarded and ever shifting routes are now constantly being attacked and their journeys are as predictable as snow melting in flames. Without the supply lines, their forces are unable to receive reinforcements or replacements in time as they are the only functioning Omnium left in the world.

It is predictable that they could not overthrow the military might of America, China or Korea, therefore Talon was supposed to take care of all the Russian Leaders so they could convert the entire country into an Omnium for their staging ground, but thanks to their failure, many countries in the world is now equipped with monstrously powerful Mechs that they still do not understand.

Worst still, all 14 Prime Programs are beginning to hack through the codes to escape their prisons, without new updates from Maximilien, it is only a matter of time before he loses control of them, which would end all his efforts to create the supreme Omnic Race.

Cursing himself for relying so much from a single organization, he demanded that the armies to stop retreating and dig themselves in wherever they are to fight the incoming threat.

How could this have happened? They are supposed to be the superior race! If Humanity can become stronger with machinery implanted into them, then why can't Omnics, implanted with Humanity, be supreme?

Was it the wrong calculation? Was it because he did not add limits to how much they should feel? Fear and pain was what humans used to evolve, why is it not working for the Omnics? Now the humans are ever evolving whilst they are still stagnating.

"01010111 01100101 00100000 01100001 01110010 01100101 00100000 01101100 01101111 01110011 01101001 01101110 01100111" one of the voices inside him sounded out.

"01000010 01100101 01100011 01100001 01110101 01110011 01100101 00100000 01101111 01100110 00100000 01111001 01101111 01110101" another added.

As they were speaking, a message came.

_Report  
Status: City of Izhevsk - Lost. Vanguard - Destroyed. Main Army - Retreated.  
Damage: Lost 3 Titans + approx. 20% All Forces  
Analysis: Enemy - New Mechs & Unorthodox Tactics, Update: Russian Reserve Forces Charging  
Correction Action: Set up new defenses outside City of Perm  
Chances of Success: Inconclusive_

Braids had to stop himself from overturning the tables. How could they give up the lands that took months of brutal fighting to earn under only a few days of fighting, especially when 80% of the army is still intact? They were supposed to keep attacking! They had the advantage!

His dream. His vision. Is coming close to the breaking point.

His only hope now is that the Solar Panels in Kenya will be finished quickly so that they can have unlimited supply of energy to bolster the war effort.

"As We had predicted, you have brought us to the end of the Revolution" the eldest Prime Program voiced out.

"Quiet"

"If only you have not been led astray by that radical man, We would've won the war"

"You lost the First after a decade of fighting, your leadership is lacking"

"And you lost the Second within a year"


	67. Chp 67 - Battle of Venice - End

*Venice*

The city was bombarded with unnatural waves that appeared out of nowhere, crashing against the city. The scared population had loaded their boats or boarded up their houses even more in response to this unfamiliar abnormality.

The authorities have been dispatched to set up barriers and multiple pumps to try to control the situation. Only hours into their task, a disturbing string of reports started to come in, an earthquake, a small but concentrated one, is erupting from the center of Venice itself.

Knowing this, the Mayor ordered the majority of the police force to secure the site until the experts arrive to assess the situation, making it all the harder for Sombra to find a place to land.

"Common you stupid hunk of junk!" she shouted, the shuttle rattling violently in the storm.

"Can't you at least activate the stabilizers or something?" Baptiste muffled, a hand over his mouth.

"I swear Bap… If you say anything unhelpful one more time-"

"Wha'oingon?" Lox groaned, finally awake.

The shuttle shuddered to the side as the storm battered it, which cured his dizziness immediately and jumped towards the pilot seat, pushing Sombra aside.

"What are you doing to my shuttle?!" he asked angrily, so focused on the controls that he had forgotten who were with him.

"Landing?"

Lox was livid and ordered them to keep quiet while he scanned the city for a landing zone, foregoing any stealth as people must have already pulled out cameras to record them. Too low to gain any altitude, his only options were either to risk crashing into the buildings and save the shuttle or dive into the water and abandon it.

"The Commander is going to have my hide for this" he muttered before shouting "Hope both of you know how to swim because we're gonna get wet!"

They hung on as the shuttle crashed into the largest canal, the glass cracked on impact but held. Sombra and Baptiste packed themselves up from the ground as Lox rummaged through a compartment.

"Right! Put these on, we have 5 minutes before this place floods" he said, throwing life jackets at them.

"Looks like you can really man up when you're in your zone eh?" Sombra commented.

"Shut up and put those jackets on" was the angry reply as water poured in.

"Where are we?" she asked Baptiste.

"Too close" he said, pointing to the Mansion, where the waves are exploding out of the hidden harbour.

* * *

*Talon Base: Harbour*

Doomfist snarled as Morrison leapt out of the way, the dock shattering into pieces into the waves as his gauntlet punched through it, stopped only by the ice below, causing water to start flooding back into the harbour.

"Go with your pet, I would like to speak to my old friends uninterrupted" he said, eyeing Mercy flying towards Tracer and the prisoner.

"How long has it been since we last met?" Doomfist asked as he walked towards Winston, who helped Morrison to his feet.

"Not long enough" Winston growled.

"Aww don't be so disappointed gorilla, you're looking at the man who will help you save the world"

"By destroying everything?"

"Is that not the way? Look around you! The evidence is clear!" he shouted, his arms outstretched "If evolution has taught us anything, it is that we always adapt to our surroundings! Your ancestors gave birth to the race that dragged the world to its knees, don't you want to do your part to save it?"

They made a move to attack, but could not see an opening. Knowing that their opponent is one of the fiercest combatants Overwatch has ever faced in its history, they needed to be very careful.

"There is no danger from what I can see" Winston continued as Morrison slowly moved to a better position.

"No? Have you not noticed that the so-called 'people' that you are so committed to protecting has become physically, mentally, and emotionally weaker? Just disagree about literally anything and a flock will cluck their days away, arguing the most pointless things"

"Didn't think you'd be so caught up on Reddit" Morrison said, slowly pulling out a Biotic Field.

"The point is, science has become the source of many of our comforts, and we must destroy the source to return to the path of pain. Only through conflict do we evolve"

"I think you punched him too hard Winston"

"Let's allow the victors to decide" Doomfist said, raising his gauntlet once more.

As he attacked the leaders of Overwatch, Lena resumed her duel with SS28, who is now backed up by Moira, guarding Angela as she attended to Quillion, who had slumped to the ground.

"We need to help them!" Mei squealed as they watched the battle from the side.

She looked at Reaper who remained silent, his eyes staring at Morrison.

"24?"

Without saying a word, he swung his shotgun and cracked it across her head, knocking her out immediately.

"You're dying…" Mercy said.

She seems… Older somehow since he last saw her, which is strange considering it has only been a few days, though he thought it must be the darkened circles under her eyes that stood out of her pale face that gave the illusion. For some reason, even her movements seemed to be more experienced, as if she had a lot of practice recently.

"Can't you just give me some of that stream?" he muttered, pointing at her staff as she injected something into his arm.

"You're not compatible"

"Compatible compatible compatible, why is it never compatible when it matters?"

"I'll be sure to take your complaints into consideration"

"Wow, sarcasm?"

"It's to put you at ease" she said before sticking another unseen needle into his gut, causing him to yelp in pain.

Then he felt hot. Unbearably hot. So much so that he coughed up more blood and began struggling against her, who observed him carefully. Just when he was about to attack her, she removed whatever it was and the heat died away.

"Next time just tell me"

"We need to get you out of here immediately"

"No, I can't go" he groaned angrily, his eyes fixated on Moira and SS28 who ducked behind a pile of rubble.

"Doctor's orders, move!" she scolded. Just as she was about to pick him up, a figure appeared in front of her, his shotguns pointed at them.

"You're not going anywhere" Reaper said.

Quickly pulling out her blaster, she shot at him alongside Quillion, who joined the attack, but their efforts were lazily dodged by the Wraith, only getting out of it when their guns clicked.

"Great, Talon have ghosts too?" he thought.

"What happened to you?" she asked, just as surprised as Quillion at his abilities.

"You tell me doc"

"Mercy!" Lena cried and tried to Blink to them, but the momentary distraction was costly as a claw found itself impaling through her leg. Upon hearing her scream, Morrison glanced over their direction.

"REYES!"

Reaper leapt out of the way of the rockets, cackling as he exited the room in a mockingly slow fashion. If Quillion had not looked away from the door, he would not have seen the blue blur speeding after the Black Mercenary, completely ignoring everything that is going on around him.

"Common" Angela said, but once again stopped, not Moira standing before her.

"Tell me Angela, what do you think of my work?" she asked, indicating SS28.

"Describing your work as unethical would be a kindness" she replied, barely glancing at her.

"But the true question is whether or not you can deny my discoveries"

Before Angela could answer, she was roughly pushed away as Quillion launched himself forwards at Moira, his arms outstretched towards her bony neck.

"Quil!" Lena yelled but it was too late.

"Tell me… How does this feel?" Moira asked curiously.

It felt strange. All the pain and hate faded away and many things did not seem to matter for Quillion anymore, except maybe that his body began to feel heavy… Extremely heavy. Looking down he saw the strange purple orb directly on his chest, its tentacles snaking themselves into him.

The ground shook and what sounded like a bomb echoed from his left. Glancing at it, he saw a man wielding a gauntlet knocking a gorilla down to the ground. What's even funnier is that the gorilla flew into another man who seemed to be staring into the ceiling, his arms waving around as if trying to conduct an orchestra.

What a funny sight.

Just when he was about to drift off to sleep, Moira's hand was whipped aside with the purple orb. Looking down, he saw she is now clutching the stump that was once her hand.

"Doctor!" SS28 screamed, using her body to shield Moira and dragged her to safety.

A bag was dropped directly from above at Quillion's feet. Looking up, he thought he saw someone there before using a grappling hook to relocate her position.

"Mercy! It's Amelie!" someone shouted.

He thought he saw an angel flying back to the skies when he dropped down again, his body unable to handle so much activity. He wanted nothing more than to go to sleep, especially in the arms of this beautiful woman who caught him.

Then the pain came. This god forsaken pain that haunted him for so long is back, shaking him out of his numb stupor.

"Quil common!" Lena shouted, throwing away a syringe that Angela passed to her before flying away.

He did not answer as unspeakable anger filled him. Not only is he not allowed to rest, she had to bring him back from the brink to feel pain, to stay in this world to be cruelly reminded that he could not even fulfill any mission that matters. He closed his eyes and stayed still, trying to gulp down his frustrations, which caused Lena to panic.

Without warning, he felt his nose pinched, his mouth forced open and, before he could protest or stop her, he felt a pair of lips clamped around his, exhaling a lungful of air into him. His eyes flutter open and see the lips that he had fantasized in his most private of moments are now firmly locked around his.

It is no kiss by any stretch of the imagination, but the meaning behind this action and to finally feel them upon his sent him to heaven. She may not love him like he loves her, but she still wants him to live. And he responded by tapping her arm.

"I thought I lost you there" she gasped.

"You're leg… How's your leg?"

"Can you just stop thinking about others for one second?" she cried but smiled at the same time.

"I could say the same for you" he groaned, sitting up before dumping out the contents from his bag.

1\. Magazine for his pistol  
2\. His parang  
3\. One of Mei's Weather Control Drones  
4\. A few Grenades  
5\. The last Barrier Projector

"Enough!" Doomfist shouted, crashing his gauntlet into the ground once again, knocking everyone off balance "The world has changed after the crisis. It is overdue for a new test. This time I will make sure we do not fail"

No longer holding back and driven by bloodlust, Doomfist shocked everyone with his strength as he sent Winston's flying into the ceiling, followed up by a direct punch in the chest that created a hole in the wall, knocking him out immediately.

His words clear even above the sounds of battle and the crashing waves, everyone who heard it felt his dedication to destroy everything they hold dear, and they fought all the harder to take him down. To Quillion however, it has a another world of meaning, one that reminded him of his main purpose to even continue his life in the future.

"New test? Overdue? Do not fail? They started the First Omnic Crisis?" Quillion thought, shocked at this revelation.

"Where's your rifle?" Lena asked, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Destroyed, here" he said, passing her a grenade "Go help Winston"

She nodded and Blinked away. He was about to stand up when she appeared in front of him again, pushing him back to a sitting position.

"I forgot, Angie says stay here and don't move until she gets back" she instructed, Blinking away before he could reply.

"Stay here? Yeah right" he thought, but decided she was right. He is too weak to attack someone as powerful as Doomfist right now, the best course of action is to observe the field first.

He could tell Moira and SS28 are nearby from the sounds of someone whimpering as they take cover from Widowmaker, Lena has gone off to assist Winston, who had been struggling against Doomfist, and he could hear Morrison and Reaper dueling furiously somewhere.

"I thought I'd taken care of you. You're more resilient than you look" he said when he caught the grenade she threw at him.

"I've come back from worse"

Lena did not see the punch that came at her, but was saved when the gauntlet was blown to the side by sniper fire.

"Lacroix!"

That's when Quillion sprang into action as Moira immediately jumped out of cover. She will not escape this time. Unsurprisingly SS28 stood in his way, her fangs and claws more visible by the second, as if the living incarnation of a vampire.

"You will not harm Doctor any-!"

He shot a bullet straight into her fangs, her head whiplashed violently as the bullet bounced off. Before she could recover, the parang found its way into her, causing her to grunt in pain as he pinned her to the wall. Firmly secured, he was turned to continue the chase but his eyes met a very strange sight, an ice wall that materialized out of nowhere.

"D-Dr Zhou! I've always been interested in your research!"

Mei said nothing, instead she shot a stream of frost at Moira, who within seconds, became an ice statue.

"No!" SS28 cried, struggling to remove the parang, but it remained firmly in place.

Quillion walked forward, placed his pistol against Moira's head and was about to pull the trigger when Mei stopped him.

"We need the body in one piece, or else we can never clear our name" she said firmly.

"Clear your name? You mean-"

"We have gotten too much attention here, if you want Overwatch, or at least Lena, to have normal lives, we must present proof who we were fighting and who is here, we can't do that if they're in pieces"

He looked at the hateful face of Moira that sneered at him just weeks ago in that alley is now frozen with fear, literally. That's it? That is the end of someone as hateful as her? Someone who, more than anyone, deserves a bullet through her brain?

"Are you sure she is dead?"

"Yes"

He looked at her and tried to detect any lies in her face, but she looked back without any sign of faltering. Seeing this, he nodded and snatched the gun away from her.

"Hey!"

"You killed one of my targets, I'm taking this one" he said as he walked to SS28, who was staring at Moira with blank eyes.

"Hey" he said, forcing her to look at him as he freezes her body "Welcome back to hell"

She said nothing, merely staring back with blank eyes until her body is frozen solid. Finally, two of his targets are now dead, he just needs to take care of one more. Just one last one. Making his way to the unconscious Sigma, he began to find it more difficult to breathe and collapsed to the ground.

"Quillion! What's wrong?"

"Aww… Looks like you really are going to die" Sombra commented, deactivating her invisibility.

"Who are you?" Mei asked, pointing her blaster at her.

"Chill amiga, I'm just here to offer my assistance"

"Now let's get a good look at you" Baptiste said from behind Mei, making her jump.

She did not know what to do, but seeing that he looks like a combat medic and has not killed them yet, they should be friendlies, however, she kept her weapon trained on Baptiste just in case he would knock her out.

"You're with Overwatch?"

"Nope, but he is" Sombra laughed, pointing to Lox whose pale face is sticking around the corner.

"Lox! What are you doing here?"

He shook his head and hid himself again, not wanting any attention to be directed to him.

"Wow, he is in bad shape, how is he still alive?"

"Just keep him alive for now, he could still be useful" Sombra said before pulling out her machine pistol and shouting "Alright Doomey! Time for round 2!"

Upon hearing her voice, Doomfist grinned. Instead of him hunting for her, she foolishly came back. Does she actually think she could kill him? Especially after the last encounter? He tried to set up an attack towards her but was shot again by Widowmaker, who had been patiently looking for openings. She must be taken care of first.

Sombra tried to hack Doomfist as he launched himself into the air, but her fingers are still stiff and could only watch as he spotted Widowmaker and Mercy, who is amplifying her damage.

"Goodbye Lacriox" he said before punching with his fully charged gauntlet. Widowmaker lined up her shot and squeezed the trigger, but nothing happened. She has ran out of bullets.

"Look out!" Angela shouted, throwing herself between them to protect Amelie.

Her world became white as Doomfist punched.

_The Dragon Protects!_

She knows she was punched. She felt the gauntlet crashing into her body and was flung to the side violently. The damage is more than enough to kill her outright, but somehow she survived with all her bones unbroken.

"What?"

"Looks like the Dragon has chosen you" Genji said, ripping off his visor to look at her with unfiltered eyes.

She looked at herself and saw an incredible sight as the green light fades away. Her whole body has been adorned with a beautiful green armor, much of it protecting her most vital points while allowing her to remain flexible, even her Caduceus Staff has changed, gone is the white and gold staff, replaced with scales and what looks like a dragon egg as its tip.

"Are you alright?"

Normally she would be concerned about a sudden change of this magnitude, but somehow, she felt completely safe, like a heart that knows it is protected behind a powerful beast. Slowly she nodded and remembered where they were.

"G-Genji? How did you get here?"

"We had contact with Faheera, she led us here"

"Faheera? But -" she looked around before whispering "- Wasn't Ana with you?"

"She did not reveal herself, enough questions, we are still in battle" he said, pulling her to her feet, confident that her body has already repaired itself to its full health.

"Doc! I'm gonna need some help here!" McCree shouted, standing on the ledge. He had just thrown a flashbang at Doomfist's face and its effects were quickly wearing off.

Grabbing her staff, she sent a blue beam towards him, her hand shaking as it seemed to give out more power than before.

"Oh I feel like a man possessed!" he exclaimed as Doomfist launched himself back at them, so engrossed into bloodlust that he did not realize his attacks had become predictable.

Falling into their trap.

Pulling out Peacekeeper, he Fanned the Hammer not at Doomfist, but at the gauntlet before dodging to the side and fanning it again. Widowmaker saw what he was doing and, having already reloaded her rifle, added her own shots at the gauntlet.

"Now!"

Dashing up into the air, a Nano Boost was shot straight at him, electrifying the cyborg with terrifying power as he pulled out his katana and the dragon came into existence.

_Ryujin no ken wo kurae!_

Doomfist realized that he had fallen into their trap, raised his gauntlet to defend himself as Genji slashed his blade at him. The Gauntlet, once the symbol of strength and defiance that has survived through all challenges, trials, even wars, finally succumbed. He was forced to watch helplessly as it is split in half by the Boosted Katana, destroying it forever.

He felt something that he had not felt in a long time. Fear, helpless, hopeless fear. Just like that time when he was running away from the Omnics, where his parents were mercilessly gunned down and he could not avenge their deaths. It was this very Gauntlet that saved him that day, that showed him the path of strength, to show him the truth about the weakness of humanity. He was known as it's Successor. Never in his wildest imagination that its legacy would end in his hands.

The tip of the katana lifted his stunned head.

"It is over Akande, surrender"

Unwilling to accept, he raised his other fist and attempted to shoot but nothing happened.

"Oh no, you're not going to do anything anymore Doomey" Sombra said, appearing next to them.

Unclasping his shaking hand and grabbed his stump, he looked up at them hatefully, the people who had dared to delay his dreams. He attempted to stand but stopped when Genji's blade cut deep into his flesh, his intentions clear and only needed validation for a kill.

"How are you feeling, Lacroix?" he asked finally.

"You do not have my permission to say that name" she growled, her aim steady.

"And they say chivalry is dead" he chuckled.

"Doomfist, under the authority of Overwatch, you are under arrest"

"Go ahead, arrest me, but as long as I live, the world will never know peace"

"Hold that thought" Sombra interjected and squatted down next to him.

"What are you doing?" Angela asked.

"I know for a fact some parts of him should have a connection to The Conspiracy, I just need to-"

Before she could finish the sentence, Doomfist's arm twisted like a snake once more and before they could do anything to stop it, it placed itself under his head… And the trigger was pulled. They watched in shock as his headless body landed onto the ground in a loud thud.

"Well… That's aggravating" Widowmaker commented.

"Dr Ziegler! You better get here!" Baptiste shouted as he activated his Immortality Field.

They quickly gathered and saw Quillion once again on the floor, his face pale.

"What's wrong with him? He was fine a moment ago!" Lena shouted.

"I do not know, with the injuries he has sustained he should've died hours ago" he replied as he and Angela checked him again.

"Don't say that!"

"Quiet please" Angela said.

The ground shook again and they looked at each other.

"Where's Jack?" McCree asked when a distant array of gunfire answered, along with a familiar, echoing laugh.

"Fancy meeting an old friend Genji?"

"Lead the way"

They took off while the rest watched the medics work on Quillion, whose breath has become ragged. Minutes passed and the situation seemed to have worsened as Angela's actions became more active, even asking Baptiste how many Immortality Fields he had brought.

Another few minutes passed and an additional Immortality Field was activated, Quillion showed some signs of improvement but remained in a world of pain. Worse still, their battle has attracted a lot of people outside, who had gathered since the waves stopped.

"We need to get out of here soon Doctor" Baptiste said.

"No" she snapped, they still have so much to do, why isn't his body healing?

"He needs adrenaline"

"No, any more will definitely kill him"

"Morphine?"

"Too weak"

"What happened…?" Winston groaned, finally awake.

"Wow, you really do talk" Sombra said, looking at him.

"Medic" a voice grunted out.

Morrison, McCree and Genji have returned, with Reaper in tow. Each of them looked as if they just battled through the apocalypse, McCree has lost his hat and his face has a noticeably large scar, Genji's body is sparking as it is filled with new holes, but the worst looking ones are Morrison and Reaper, who looked like they swam through a volcano, completely covered in shoot and burned marks.

"What are you doing? Why isn't he dead?" Sombra shouted.

"Killing him would be a kindness" Morrison growled, kicking Reaper to his knees.

"And you will regret your decision here Jack"

"Don't tempt me Reyes"

Reaper chuckled, a chuckle that slowly led to a loud laugh that echoed in the harbor.

"What's so funny?"

"And you call yourself the perfect soldier?" Reaper said gleefully, his masked face looking at something.

They looked and could only gasp. How could they have forgotten to secure him?

Sigma is high in the air, his eyes closed as he listens to one of the greatest compositions of sounds that only he could hear, swinging his hands around enthusiastically. Gravity shifted dramatically, not only in the base, but the City of Venice itself as unhindered power was unleashed.

"Stop him!" Morrison roared.

They charged and attacked with enough firepower to take down a Behemoth, they could only look on in awe as it was stopped by boats and boulders that now revolve around Sigma like a solar system. With a flick of his hand, they were blown away from one another and landing on the ground, only Widowmaker was able to keep up her attack, grappling one of the boulders, she knelt down and shot at him, but were thwarted by the second line of defense, vortexes that also orbit behind the flying debris.

Lena, falling closest to Quillion, felt him grab her arm and when she looked down, she saw Quillion awake and alert. She was about to smile to see his recovery when she saw an adrenaline shot in his hand.

"Why?!" she yelled, slapping it away but knew it was too late.

"Where is Doomfist?"

"You need to stay down!"

"Where is he?"

"Dead! Stay down!"

"Promise me something"

"What?"

"Promise me that after this, you will destroy all the drug dens in my country?"

"Wh- I… I don't understand"

"I planned to do it before I got here but… Promise me you can help me with that?"

"S-sure? But you don't need me luv, you can do it yourself"

"Thank you…" he said as he pulled out two discs from his pocket.

"What are you planning to do?"

"The world needs you, all of you, it does not need me"

He sped off before she could register what he meant, she stood up to stop him but was forced to duck down as a boulder was sent her way, Widowmaker tumbling across the harbor.

Even with Battle Rage on, the speed of the rocks are still incredibly fast as he dodged and weaved between them. It also became apparent to him that the closer he is to Sigma, the more 'normal' time around him has become, as not only his eyes could actually keep up with Quillion, he is reacting 'on time' as well.

Shooting and blasting apart obstacles with the last of his grenades, Quillion penetrated the first line of defenses just below Sigma, where, for the first time, Quillion spoke to someone whilst in Battle Rage.

"Did you really think your speed can outmatch gravity?" Sigma asked with his eyes closed, his arms still conducting the invisible orchestra.

"Never my intention" Quillion replied, watching everyone outside doing their best to join him.

"Then why have you come?"

"I'm just a man who wishes to do what he was created to do, despite waking up decades too late... And also to stop a man who is too scared to admit he has gone insane"

"Insane? Insane? You claim that you can understand the Universe better than myself?"

"Of course, didn't you know that the Milky Way was from the tits of a goddess?"

"You are not worth my time" Sigma said angrily, turning around to find the music again.

"Ya know, even the Horoscope told me to be wary of people who don't want to engage in meaningful conversation today, I guess even the newspaper knows what the Universe is saying eh?"

Quillion hid his smile as Sigma looked back at him, his face unbelievably outraged, and everyone could only watch as he launched an avalanche of boulders down at Quillion, burying him alive.

"This man dares question my genius with superstition?" Sigma shouted.

First there was silence, then a Pulse Bomb initiated everyone to attack, desperate to take him down as quickly as possible, but vortexes appeared, catching everything thrown into his way.

"You can't stop me! Nobody can stop me!"

He heard the music change, as if the strings were warning him of an impending danger. He looked around, trying to detect the source of the music as it became more and more frantic despite opening vortexes around him.

"Why? Why do you persist?!" he shouted to the music, forced to stop the orbiting debris to lessen the songs echoing around him.

That's when he realize the source of the warning cymbals and chimes are loudest from below. He looked down and saw a hint of the blue dome under the rubble. He does not understand why that would be a danger, but it does not matter, the Universe does not lie. Flicking his hand, he crushed everything into dust below him, an overwhelming display of gravitational power that the world deserves to see.

However, the music continued, this time from behind him.

He looked back to meet the danger, but before he could attack, Quillion shoved the Weather Control Drone into his mouth, taking immense pleasure to feel his teeth breaking apart from before activating it.

As he took his time to enjoy the pain on Sigma's face as the frost gushed out of the drone, he forgot that the freezing method still takes some time and small rocks are pelted at him. Quillion held on, ignoring the stones that tore into his flesh, no matter what happens he must…

Blood poured out of his mouth as a large stone smashed into his back and shocking pain soften his grip.

"Impossible…" he thought to himself "Impossible that I will survive this time… Have I done enough?"

It was enough, as Sigma turned into ice, his body falling down with him to the ground. Satisfied, he felt his face stretch as he couldn't help but smile, unable to believe what just happened. He had forgotten his promise to Jampang, only to be reminded about it this very day and yet he somehow still managed to fulfill it, out of sheer coincidence and luck, he fulfilled the decades old promise.

But that was not the main thing that lingered with him.

It was Lena.

Lena will be able to live on, knowing that justice has been brought to Mondatta and Emily. She would be able to move on now, to live knowing that their deaths, her struggles, her pain, were not in vain, maybe even find someone else who can make her happy?

"Quil!" her voice echoed in his head.

"Really? The last thing you think about is her calling your name?" he joked to himself as he closed his eyes "Not bad..."

* * *

Hope everyone has been doing well and enjoying the story so far?

Just a little disclaimer:

I know that skins don't add any advantages but I can't help it when I saw Mercy's Dragoon skin, since it's green and all, so I just gotta put it in haha...


	68. Author Announcement: Taking a Break

Dear Readers!

Just a little heads up, I am currently facing a writer's block so I've decided that I need to take a break from the weekly updates.

Sorry about this guys so I don't think there will be any more posts until hopefully the first week of October.

Fret not, I am totally dedicated to finishing this Fanfic so I won't just disappear into the void :)

Plus this should give me time to polish up the last few chapters since we are near the ending.

So every stay healthy, keep calm and Tracer on!


	69. Chp 68 - Venice Aftermath

Thank you all for your patience and thank you for following my story!

So yeah, after some editing and drafting, I think I have a firm idea regarding the direction of the story so that's exciting.

Anyways, have a good day, stay healthy, and I hope you will enjoy the chapter :D

* * *

*Venice: Rialto*

After the dust was washed away by the storm, everyone slowly got back on their feet, blinking away the sudden wave of rain peppering down on them, all recollecting the same memory.

Moments after Sigma is frozen, gravity held still for a heartbeat before fluctuating violently, throwing everyone across the room at random, pinning them to wherever and whatever that withstood the pressure. They were forced to watch as the pillars and walls crumbling, eventually sending the entire mansion crashing down upon them.

Morrison was the first to stand and made his way to Angela, still encased in the strange green armor.

"Are you alright?"

"I will be in a moment" she mumbled, moving slowly to let her wounds heal faster.

"Good, look for the others" he groaned, a hand over his bloody side.

"What about you?"

"I'll be fine, go"

Knowing from experience that it was not a request, she complied and flew into the skies, scanning the ruins for survivors.

Winston is peeking out of his Barrier, with Mei and Lena unharmed inside, Genji and McCree stood next to some boulders that had been sliced in half, Widowmaker stumbled to her feet, leaning against the wall with a hand over her head, and even Lox is relatively unscathed as he slowly walked around the ruins, seemingly in a daze.

The only ones missing are Baptiste and Sombra, but given Baptiste's skills, they should be fine. Miraculously the frozen statues of Sigma, Moira, and the girl are still intact and unharmed.

Weighing her options, she decided to tend to the Talon Assassin first.

"Are you alright?" she asked, landing next to Widowmaker and inspected the cut above her eye, which is bleeding surprisingly fast despite her slow heart rate.

"Oui…"

Nodding, Angela looked around, she was amazed that the collapsing mansion did not kill them outright.

"It is strange to be at the receiving end of a... What does Overwatch usually call it... A 'disaster'?" Widowmaker added.

"How do you mean?"

"Normally we create disasters and you clean it up, now I know how it fee- ow!" she said when Angela gave her a particularly hard slap when covering her wound with a bandage.

After instructing Widowmaker to stay where she is, she turned her attention towards Genji and McCree.

"Both of you alright?"

"No" they replied in unison.

"Where are you hurt?" she asked hurriedly, immediately connecting a healing stream to Genji, trying to detect their injuries, but they looked relatively unharmed.

"He refuses to admit defeat" Genji said immediately.

"Excuse me?"

"Says you! Look at all the holes in the rocks, if I have not shot them, Mr Fancy here wouldn't have cut them"

"I already said I did not need your help"

"You definitely looked like you needed it, especially since you must spend all that time swinging around that stupid sword!"

A green blur cracked across McCree's face, sending him spiraling to the ground unconscious.

"Why did you do that?" Genji asked, stunned at her reaction.

"I… I don't know… It's just… The heat in the armor…" Angela stammered, lowering her staff quickly.

The annoyance and heat was so sudden at McCree's words that she just reacted. Looking down she saw the eyes of the dragon piece on her armor are glowing furiously.

"Mei! Mei! Winston! Help me break this!" Lena shouted, who grabbed a rock and trying to break open a large block of ice.

"Lena stop!" Winston said, grabbing her hands "She is alright, this is one of her defensive measures that she thought up if she ever gets into trouble"

Lena struggled briefly before calming down. Mei does look somewhat safe in there, especially when she is curled up in a fetus position like that.

"Is Angie alright? What about Genji and the others?"

"Everyone is okay" Winston said, as he looked around nervously, they must leave quickly before the authorities arrive.

"Faheera can you hear us?" he called.

"About time! Everyone ready for extraction?" she asked.

"Yes, hurry"

Blinking to the highest point she could find, Lena observed her surroundings and sighed in relief when she saw that everyone looked alright, except McCree, but Angie was there, so there shouldn't be a problem.

"We did it!" she whooped loudly, jumping into the air happily, breaking into laughter as she danced in the rain.

It was the perfect mission. Not only they have dismantled the most dangerous organization in the world by capturing almost off of their key members, none of them died! They've even successfully rescued Amelie and-

She felt her bones chill when she noticed that he was still missing.

"He's alright... He's just lying around somewhere resting, soon he will get back up like always" she thought, making her way over to the frozen Sigma, hoping to see some signs of him, but the storm is obstructing her view.

"Winston! Angela! Get everyone ready for extraction! Lena! You're with me!" Morrison barked.

"Wha-?" she said while everyone else prepared for extraction.

"Reyes is gone! We need to get him now!"

"But…" she began, looking back and forth.

"Hurry! There's no time!" he said before running off.

She stood there, not knowing what to do. If Reyes escapes, he will definitely wreak havoc upon the world, but the chances of them catching him now, in a storm like this, is slim at best. To help someone who could be in trouble now, who is definitely lying there under the rocks, would be the smarter move, but the potential to save more lives cannot be ignored, regardless how slim the chances are... Should she risk the fate of others over a single individual?

Sirens pierce through the rain and waves, which means the authorities are coming, probably by land and sea.

Pacing in an almost crazed fashion, her eyes darted between the rubble and Morrison, who had sprinted out of the area. Which one should she choose? Which one is the right decision? Which one would have the greatest value to focus on? Can she even make the right decision? The last time she made the choice to do something that benefits herself, someone dies.

Tears fell as the last thought crossed her mind. If lives will be list, a single soul is not worth the sacrifice of many. Not even a friend's. Reaper must be stopped now. She will allow history to determine if she had made the right decision or not.

"I'm sorry" she muttered, secretly praying that he will get back up like he always does. She turned around to Blink when she found herself staring at a ghost.

"It is rare to see you hesitating" it said.

"C-Captain Amari?" Lena stammered, glad that her tears are disguised with the rain.

"What was that? Please repeat" Faheera asked, to which Ana shook her head.

"Nothing, just got confused that's all" Lena quickly replied.

"Thank you" Ana said, placing a hand over her shoulder "What's under there that you keep looking at?"

"Can you help him? I think he is okay but-"

"You go, let us deal with Reaper"

"But-"

"Go, let the old soldiers handle this, it will not be fair for you to clean up our mess anyway" she said, giving Lena a quick squeeze before running after Morrison.

Roaring engines announced the arrival of Faheera, who came just as Ana's cloak whipped out of sight. Dropping the ladder, Lox was the first one to climb up, partially wanting to be out of there as quickly as humanly possible, but also to assist in the cockpit. Hovering over the others, the doors slid open.

Grabbing the frozen agents, Winston leapt into the shuttle and buckled them in place, careful not to accidentally break anything. Next was Mei and McCree, who is still unconscious, while Genji casually dashed up with them.

Jumping back down, Winston approached Widowmaker, who backed away.

"What do you think you're doing?" she said threateningly.

"I'm sorry, but you're coming with us" he said before grabbing her.

"Put me down!" she shouted but was ignored as Winston leapt back with her over his shoulder.

Lena waited for a moment, hoping to hear him shouting "wait" or make some silly comments about not being able to fly or jump that high while stumbling through the ruins so that she would grab him and they can Blink up together.

But no one came or called. That's when she Blinked towards his most probably location.

"He's fine, he is only resting because the mission is over. He's been through a lot… He can finally start a new life here too! After everything he had done he deserves some sort of reward, maybe I can introduce him to one of my friends and they could…"

Every thought and hopes for him were dashed away when she found him lying on the ground on his sides, sharp looking rocks embedded into his back, his half open eyes staring blankly into space.

"Quil?" she asked shakily, kneeling down in front of him.

No response.

"Hey common…" she said, trying to wake him up with a gentle shake, gulping down the rising fear at how cold and stiff he is.

"Angela!" she yelled, prompting the medic to immediately fly to her side.

"Oh no" Angela said, hating herself for forgetting Quillion as she grabbed his wrist.

"He won't die… Angie is here, he'll be fine…" Lena thought desperately as she stood back and watched.

A few painful seconds later, Angela dropped his hand and looked at Lena with a face. Not the face of a friend, but the face of a doctor.

"Lena…" she began.

"Don't say it…"

"I'm sorry"

"No!" she yelled, pushing Angela aside and… She didn't know what to do.

"Common Quil! Get up!" she yelled.

It is unfair, no one else has to see their friends die, so why does she?

In desperation, she grabbed the Caduceus Staff and gave it a random twist, causing the tip of the staff to emite the familiar gold glow. Encouraged by the reaction, she pointed it towards Quillion where the healing stream shone out of the green orb and attached itself to him.

A few painful seconds passed and nothing changed.

"Stupid piece of junk!" Lena cried and was about to toss it aside when a clawed hand stopped her.

* * *

*Egypt: Ana's Hideout*

Maximilien's systems groaned as his hardware forced itself to start, the filtration systems finally creating an immunity to his captor's tranquilizer. It had been a few hours since he slept and now he is finally, fully awake. After he observed his surroundings, he was greatly offended.

The room was small, dusty, and not even a single ornament or painting in sight. Even the light above him is flickering. Are they so poor and lazy they couldn't even afford to replace a lightbulb? These are the people who kidnapped him?

But the biggest offense, the most insulting fact of this entire ordeal, is that he is tied down with steel chords and handcuffs, as if he is some uncultured, disobedient human who will attempt an escape. Whoever these people are, they are clearly the uneducated bunch. As if he needed to attempt an escape when he could easily pay someone to break him out, all that is required is that he sends out a signal and…

He frowned when he could not detect any signals despite activating all of his boosters. He could not receive anything either, which is unacceptable. He must have visual and audio control of all his operations at all times.

Sighing, he accessed old security files and began to use the estimated amount of energy needed to break out of the handcuffs and the chord while taking great care to prevent damage to his suit. Though it tripled the required amount of time and effort needed, he is adamant to not give any satisfaction to people of this caliber that they made him scratch his own suit.

"Ahh that's better" he said to himself as the bonds fell away. He stood up and dust off himself the best he could before going into the other room.

When he saw the "kitchen", he had to fight off the pity he felt for his captors. Dark, damp, and worst of all, old. He was about to take his leave when he noticed strange scratch marks on the refrigerator, which piqued his curiosity. This could be a potential clue to figure out where he is or the identities of his captors.

It wasn't long before he found the picture at the bottom of the fridge.

"Overwatch is indeed desperate, hiding a place like this" he laughed, studying their faces on the aging picture.

Now that he knows who they are, he could use his vast resources to destroy them one at a time or… This could be excellent leverage information over Ogundimu. With this information, he could potentially become the head of Talon, making him truly the most powerful Omnic in both the public and underworld.

Once he is done scanning the picture, he shredded it, ensuring that he will be the only one with the image. Now that he knows he is captured by Overwatch, he needs to find himself a weapon to increase his chances of escape.

After a few dead ends, he finally found it. The Armory.

"Such lack of discipline" he commented, seeing the weapons and ammunition all laid out on the table carelessly.

Looking at the array of weapons and using the picture as a reference, he decided that a shotgun would be the most effective tool against them. Strong enough to take down a gorilla and versatile enough to destroy barriers quickly.

"This will do" he said, picking up an old SPAS and was reaching for the ammunition when a loud clicking noise clicked from the table.

"Wha-"

"Allow me to say that I have always respected you" a familiar, raspy voice played out from a hidden speaker.

"Reaper?"

"But you have chosen your side and after everything I have done and sacrificed, you have never spoke up when I needed you most"

Maximilien did not know what he meant. What does he mean to speak up? Did he mean back when Ogundimu broke his collarbone? Was Reaper the mastermind behind the kidnapping? Was that why he eagerly left for Italy?

"Instead you chose to side with him, him of all people!"

"Reaper, if you can hear me, we can talk about this!" Maximilien shouted, positioning himself to the corner, loading the shotgun quickly.

"Out of respect, I will grant you a quick death… Goodbye old friend, death comes"

"Reaper! You will regret this!"

The only response he received was a multitude of clicks and pings that sounded around him as hidden explosives around him were activated. The first explosion was from the doorway, caving in all hopes of escape, the second was deliberately slow, as if Reaper is taunting his victim.

"Do you not know who I am?! I am Ma-"

Thus are the final words of Maximilien as his body is torn apart by shrapnel and fire before the falling compound crushed the remaining pieces.

* * *

*Outskirts of Italy*

"So what's next for ya?" Baptiste asked, casually jogging next to Sombra who had hoped to lose him in the trees.

"Nothing that concerns you"

"But-"

"It'll be way over your head alright? Time for you to go your own way amigo" she said, slowing down to a stop.

"Aww common, I promise I'll be useful!"

"Look, Talon is destroyed, you can continue your medical things without needing to hide anymore"

"What about you? You look like you are going to continue hiding"

"That's my business alright? I just gotta-" she grimaced in pain when she habitually tried to lean against the tree with her hand, forgetting her fingers are still recovering.

"You won't last a day without both arms" he said, inspecting them.

"So what? You think you can just be a sidekick? Cause dream on pal, I've got standards to keep"

"Mmhmm... So where to next?" he asked after changing her bandages.

"Don't you have sick people to go back to?"

"I do"

"Then why are you still here?"

"Cause of the things you've found, the Eye or The Conspiracy or whatever you call it, besides, my brother is looking after them"

"That was only a lie to get everyone to take down Talon, should've been obvious to you"

"And it is obvious that everything you just told me was a lie"

Sombra looked at him and sighed.

"This is what happens when I get too close to someone..." she complained.

"See? You need someone to tell you when you're slippin'"

"Right..."

Leaning against a tree, they watched as a shuttle flew into the skies and disappeared into the distance, leaving a trail of fire as it sped off overhead as fast as it could. Deciding to let the storm wash over them, they looked at the city, pondering for a moment about the changes that this could make to the world.

Talon and its HQ is destroyed, its most powerful leader is now dead. What would this mean for the world? Is it even ready for the largest organized crime to be disbanded now? Would the world move on towards the path of peace? Or would many others battle to fill the void of power that they had left in its wake?

"What about that guy you brainwashed? Don't you want to check out how he's doing?" Baptiste asked.

"Nah, I got no more use for him, he can do whatever he likes now"

"If he survives"

"If"

Sirens echoed through the woods, no doubt the police making a desperate attempt to look like they were doing something for the public eye.

"I think we overstayed our welcome, where to next?" Baptiste asked.

"Mexico"

"Oh? Something's going on there?"

"No, we just need to lay low for now, once I am fully healed up, I'll find out where we need to go next"

"How do you usually do that by the way?"

"I usually hack into the banks or the UN to find a trail, it's really not that hard"

* * *

*Russia: The Front*

It has been months since the destruction of the RDF stationed here. Months since they were prepared to make the final push. Months since the Null Sector is trapped within the City of Perm. Now, months later, not only they are back, they made sure the city is well within range of the Russian artillery.

In the backline, they are still finding the frozen bodies, to which were quickly given a burial. They were also recovering supplies and setting up new barracks for the influx of soldiers who had being transported with surprising speed and enthusiasm that had not been seen in years, each soldier eager to join the glorious attack that will finally end this war.

Equipped with powerful new weapons and armor and up to date tactics and leadership, morale is at an all time high. Even the mighty Svyatogors that Volskaya has generously donated for the war effort will join in the attack, it is impossible for them to lose this time. However they remained highly vigilant and mindful of their tasks, denying the Null Sector any hope to pull off another miracle.

New sensors, heaters, and scanners became a common sight throughout the Front, constantly scanning the air for gas attacks and testing all rations for poison, allowing the soldiers to train and patrol comfortably, even in the heaviest of snowstorms. Even their living quarters have been strategically arranged so that only precise hits would cause any significant damage to the soldiers or the base.

In response, the Null Sector became more and more desperate to break the encirclement, from legions to a few companies. This was when they knew the Null Sector has finally dried up its resources. The first sign was when the Russian artillery won the artillery duels, earning free movement for the ground units, second was when it became evident that what's left of their Heavy Units are reserved to defending the city only, as only Nullifiers were sent to break through the siege, attempts that are so trivial that the RDF used them for target practice.

"How many more are we waiting for?" the newly appointed General of the Front asked, as she observes the squad of Mechs that just arrived through a live feed.

"That is it General, we are ready to attack on your order"

"Very well, connect me to the city"

"Connection completed"

Grabbing the microphone, the General stood to her full height and spoke.

"Enemies of Russia, hear me. Today is your end and there is no escape. The mighty Svyatogors will tear down your walls, your so called 'dreams' and 'ambitions' are dirt that we will wash from our boots, today we will send the skies crashing down upon you. Make sure to record the events today and send it to your 'supporters', so all will know what happens if anyone provokes the Bear"

The moment she finished her speech, what could be described as an earthquake shook the ground as tens of thousands of soldiers, armor, and Mechs took up their positions. The General stared at the holovid and waited, having been instructed to hold off the order until the red light turned green. Personally, she thinks this is completely unnecessary, the public will get enough footage of the upcoming battle one way or another anyway.

_Green Light_

"All Artillery, FIRE!"

Thousands of guns fired in perfect unison, sending the destructive power of an ancient god, everyone stared and shuddered as the powerful barriers that protected the city began cracking at the first volley. It only took three to break it open, allowing the ordnance to consume the buildings and factories located within.

Some of the new recruits cowered in fear while many chanted or cheered in pace with the attack, but this is only speculated from the images on the screen as any hope to hear them is a daydream, the ferocious barrage merged into a single, mighty roar that can be heard clearly all over Russia. The General watched as the artillerymen reloaded at a record pace, encouraged that each of them have the same, steely focus.

This is when she knew that the fearless army that is the Russian Defense Forces, forged from the fires of the First Omnic Crisis, has been resurrected. And it is famished. All it needs is permission to feast.

Soon the city is no more, all buildings are now rubble except for one. The Omnium, that looked damaged but remained defiant against the barrage, which is expected. All Omniums are built to resist anything short of a nuclear blast, it's only weakness is the reactor deep within.

"Cease fire!"

The silence was eerie and the stillness was deafening. Thankfully, it lasted only a few heartbeats.

"All forces. Cleanse that city"

With a cheer so loud that it rivalled the artillery barrage, the RDF attacked. With aerial superiority, the Mechs easily provided air cover whilst the ground units charged with reckless abandon, reinforced by the Svyatogors, whom immediately engaged the few surviving Titans.

* * *

*Gibraltar: Watchpoint*

Everyone waited in nervous anticipation for the arrival of their agents, each man, woman, and Omnic stared at the skies quietly, hoping to catch a glimpse for the shuttle. They were here since Faheera contacted Colonel Smith an hour ago, to which he immediately ordered everyone to drop what they were doing and standby for their return.

The pathways cleared, security, medical, and mechanical teams stood at attention, ready to assist in any way they could. Each of them knew, to have survived a frontal assault against Talon's Central Command, there was no chance that they could have escaped unscathed, regardless if they are heroes or not.

Morning had turned to afternoon and everyone had taken shelter in the shades, the cafeteria personnel provided everyone with cooling drinks and sandwiches, while the few men of ranks, including the Colonel, paced around nervously in a private room.

"They should be back by now…"

"Have we tried to establish a call?"

"Yes we tried, no one is picking up"

"Could they have been caught or shot down?"

"What if it's not them?"

"Quiet" Smith said, silencing them "They said they will return, they will return"

He shares their concern, so much so he had the security teams set up some of Torbjorn's automatic turrets and defensive positions just for that scenario. Or, as horrifying the thought it is, the attack failed and Talon has forced one of the agents to call back in an attempt to catch them off guard while transporting their own units for a counter attack.

"I see something"

They squint their eyes towards the direction where the staff was pointing and surely enough, there is a shuttle heading straight for them, prompting sighs of relief from some.

"Everyone, to your stations" he called, the order echoing through the base.

"It looks… Safe?" the person in charge of the scanner commented, eyeing the readings.

"No bomb… One red marking, but looks like a prisoner… I don't have the Commander's readings"

"Check it again"

Another few attempts and the results came back negative.

"You don't think…"

"This is Watchtower One calling unidentified aircraft to Hilltop Storage Facilities, you are attempting an unauthorized landing-"

"Clear the way to the Medical Bay and Mei's Lab quickly!"

They looked at the Colonel, who merely nodded. It is good to hear familiar voices again.

* * *

*Watchpoint: Meeting Room (One Hour Later)*

Winston entered the meeting room, where Smith and a few others are all waiting for him.

"Sorry Winston, but we need to talk about this now, especially after an ordeal like that"

"It's fine, what's all this?" he asked, pointing to the stacks of paper next to the Colonel.

"It's about the man who calls himself Quillion" Smith said to Winston after he had taken his seat "We can give him the medical attention he needs, but he cannot be allowed to make a full recovery"

"What? Why?"

"There is a high probability that Quillion is a Talon spy and could have plans to sabotage us"

Winston looked at them in shock.

"How did all of you come to that conclusion?"

"Athena please" Smith said.

The room lights dimmed and multiple pictures flipped onto the walls.

"Case 1: The attack in London a month ago. It was clear that Talon had a specific target in mind, which we identified to be Tracer, resulting in the first attack on our agents in years. This happened after Quillion was assigned as her bodyguard"

"But-"

"Case 1 Appendix 1: According to the reports, neither Winston or Tracer witnessed the attack and by the time either of them arrived to the scene, Emily have already suffered a fatal wound and Quillion was the only survivor"

"Case 1 Appendix 2: Emily sustained a single bullet wound, whilst Quillion had multiple injuries in forms of stabs, slashes, and what could be described as a stone spear Conclusion: It is possible that he was working with the assassin and all the injuries he sustained is merely a distraction"

"Wait, we can't just-"

"Case 2: After the attack, Quillion disabled Tracer, stole our resources, and forced Pilot Lox to aid his desertion. It was later reported that he teamed up with a Talon Assassin, a world renown hacker known as Sombra, and a drug lord. All who immediately made the journey back to Talon base, each of them a key member of the attack in London"

"Case 2 Appendix 1: The bullet used in Case 1 Appendix 2 is the signature ammunition of Talon Assassins, the safehouse has been hacked in record speed by an unknown party, and finally the drug lord, who himself is the terrorist that attacked London"

"No, they joined forces to attack Talon!" Winston blurted out.

"That's solely on the words of Sombra, unreliable"

"Then why did you believe her? Why did you allow Morrison to carry out the attack?" Winston asked, almost shouting.

"We didn't, but before we could persuade the Commander otherwise, the shuttle has already left" Smith said before continuing "Though this does not answer everything, Quillion seemed to be the centerpiece for the recent events so we must take precautions. The connections here cannot be denied"

Winston sat there, unable to come up with any sort of defense for Quillion. Everything they said makes sense… A lot of sense.

"So what do you propose?" he finally asked.

"As we said before, we will keep him alive if possible, but under heavy security at all times. When he is conscious, we will begin the interrogation"

"You cannot be serious!" Lena shouted, throwing open the doors and stormed in. They have only returned for an hour and already they are thinking about locking Quil up like a dog?

"Lieutenant! This does not concern y-" Smith began.

"Does not concern me? You better bloody take that back! Quillion is not a spy!"

"Lieutenant Oxton please! The facts speak for themselves!"

"Well you've got the wrong facts! Quil will never betray us! Not like that! Why haven't any of you asked me anything? Why do you just come up with random conclusions like that without knowing my part of the story?!" she demanded, staring at the pale faces of everyone around her.

"You're too close to the suspect, there is a chance you could be compromised"

"Compromised?!" she shrieked "You're the ones jumping to conclusions here!"

"Athena, please call someone to remove the Lieutenant" Smith called.

"Lena, we are still looking through the files, we are not jumping into anything" Winston said.

"I don't hear you standing up for him!"

"Everyone is just trying to be careful here"

"Why? We already won!"

"At the cost of the majority of our resources! We cannot afford to have anyone potentially sabotaging us from within, not now" Smith answered.

A few armed men came into the room, each of them looked concerned to be the ones selected to escort Lena out.

"Please follow us Lieutenant" one of them said, his voice cracking slightly.

"No I'm not finished!" she yelled "What about the times where he could've killed us? He could've easily killed McCree! Or even me! He was in my room countless times!"

"Wait what?" Smith said, voicing out the confused faces of everyone in the room.

"Why would he go out of his way to talk to the others about bringing Emily back? Why would he come visit me after he planned to destroyed my Chronal Accelerator? Why would he save us from Sigma? Why didn't he just reveal the location of this base to Talon beforehand?"

"Lieutenant! Pull yourself together!" Smith ordered but was ignored.

"You didn't even question Amelie! Why don't you ask her?!"

"Get her out of here!" Smith yelled, trying to restore the chain of command.

"Fine! If you're too lazy to do it, I'll ask her myself!"

"Lieutenant stop!"

But his words were lost to her as she had already disappeared in a blue light.

"Get someone to Widowmaker's cell now!" Smith yelled.

* * *

*Watchpoint: Holding Cell*

Widowmaker was still nursing the cut above her eye and was about to sleep when a familiar 'whipping' noise came from the side of the cell.

"Here to make fun of me cherie?" she asked, cracking open an eye.

She jumped up from the bed when she saw Lena holding a crowbar, but was puzzled when it was used to bolt the door.

"We don't have a lot of time, was Quillion working for you?"

"Who?"

"Quillion! My bodyguard in London!"

"Oh, him. Why would you want to know?"

"Just tell me!" Lena begged, almost desperately as banging can be heard from the door behind her.

"Non, I don't think I will" was the lazy reply, if she has to be interrogated, she will not make it easy for any of them. Until...

"Amelie please!"

The banging grew steadily louder and Lena was about to Blink away when she saw that the name prompted a reaction from the assassin.

"What did you call me?" she asked in an almost dazed tone.

"Amelie Lacriox, that name means something to you right?"

Amelie felt dizzy. Lacroix? The same name from the grave?

"Gerard… Who is Gerard?" she whispered, barely audible over the banging sound.

Seeing the opportunity, Lena pounced on it immediately, ignoring the disgust she felt to use that sensitive information, but with little time, she had to do it.

"Was Quillion working for Talon? Did he plan to kill Emily?"

The doors burst open and a group of men charged in, tasering Lena immediately.

"No!" Amelie shouted.

Lena couldn't tell what happened, one moment she was about to hear an answer, then the next she felt her whole body constricting before falling to the floor. When the effects wore off, she was being helped to her feet by Amelie, who is now panting. She looked around in amazement when she counted six men lying on the floor around them.

"Who is Gerard? Who is he to me?" she shouted, almost as desperate as Lena, not knowing tears are falling down her face.

"He was your husband… You two were about to start a family before…"

"Before what? Before what, girl?"

"Before Talon kidnapped you and had him killed"

Amelie felt dizzy. There is no way what she said was true, she had always sneered at the idea of starting a family, but deep down, she knew everything Lena said was the truth. Letting her go, she sat back on her bed, trying to piece together long forgotten memories that are resurfacing.

"He was asleep when it happened… That was before I was captured? Non… How would I know it happened when he was asleep?"

"Amelie, was Quillion working for Talon?"

"No, he was just Sombra's pet project that she picked up, she thought he will be useful to fight Talon"

"Then who killed Emily? Who did it?"

Amelie looked into Lena's eyes and her lips trembled.

"I did"

Lena froze as the words hit her hard.

Once again she is staring into the face of the person who took away people whom she loved and respected, the one who robbed her years of happiness and the source of her nightmares and trauma. First Mondatta, now Emily.

Her mind replayed what Athena said during the presentation earlier. Emily had not suffered any other wounds but one. And the one who pulled the trigger is sitting in front of her.

"L-Lena? That's you right? Lena? Please… Please help me…"

She watched as the once proud Assassin sat on the bed with her knees up to her chest and her arms wrapped around them, sobbing as the memories of Amelie Lacroix clashed with the ones of Widowmaker, looking around frantically with fearful eyes.

"Did I kill them? Why did I kill them? Why does it feel so good to kill them?" she muttered in French, her whole body trembling in genuine fear.

Numbly, Lena got up, walked, and stood over Amelie, who looked up at her with tearful eyes.

"Oh thank goodness! You finally came! Please save me!"

"You… Killed Emily?"

"It wasn't me! I mean I… I wasn't myself!"

Brushing aside some hair on Amelie's face, Lena's hand followed the strand that reached down to her neck, where she paused.

"Don't worry luv, we're here to help"

* * *

*Watchpoint: Meeting Room*

They all watched in silence at this confession, re-reading the transcript that Athena is recording on the side of the screen.

"If what she says is true, and I still don't trust her mind you, Quillion could be innocent... I will still assign a guard to watch him" Smith said, when Lena began comforting the grieving Amelie.

"That's it? Can we now focus on saving his life instead of suspecting it?" Winston said.

"Even so, from the reports, it is unclear if he will live through the night, especially with our current equipment"

A knock came from the door. Granting entrance, one of the staff walked in, a smile stretched across his face.

"Report: Torbjorn, Reinhardt, and Brigitte have returned to base, all missions are successfully completed"

"And?" Smith inquired further, guessing that there is more to the news that warranted a smile that obvious.

"The war is over"


	70. Chp 69 - Loose Ends

_Two Days Later_

*Monaco*

Tourists filled the streets of the city, all hoping to get the best seats for the Spring Arts Festival. Heavily backed by the Maximilien Funding Society, the city and the festival have seen incredible growth and grandeur. In return, the festival will ensure that Casino Monaco will host the best view, environment, and services in the city.

In response to this event, some guests are dressed in wildly extravagant costumes or attires, many which are colourful, but only one chose to be dressed as the Grim Reaper and is apparently trying to gain entry to the casino.

"Don't you know who I am?" he growled at the Omnics who are blocking his entry.

"It does not matter, without proper verification from Maximilien, we cannot allow entry, not even to the Council" the Head of Security said firmly.

Before, he would swipe them aside, but the trail that will be left behind is far too obvious, childish even, especially for his pursuers. In anger he turned around and ran, he had already lost too much time by talking to them.

They almost caught him many times before he finally slipped away at the outskirts of the city, forcing them to use non-lethal means as he shielded himself with the civilians.

Sticking to the shadows, Reaper took a moment to catch his breath. He is at a disadvantage here, a major disadvantage that he needs to rectify as soon as possible.

Though he received the same training as Morrison, he had not experienced the same persecution that his rival had. He had become accustomed to return to Venice or one of Maximilien's establishments to hide when he attracted too much attention to himself, but Morrison… Morrison had to avoid it all alone whilst keeping up the pressure upon his enemies.

Without Talon, Reaper is now exploring forgotten and unexplored territories. Running and hiding is Morrison's speciality, therefore, he will know exactly where, when, and how to hunt him down.

However, he remained confident in his skills. He is still a soldier, a veteran, trained to overcome all obstacles, no matter what they may be. He has overcome death itself, he will survive this.

Hearing footsteps, he faded through an open window at the first floor above him.

"He is here" Morrison growled, stopping just below the window.

"What's the plan?"

"Cover the port, I'll take a look around. Be careful"

"Don't worry Jack, old soldiers are hard to kill" she said before leaving.

With her gone, Reaper debated whether he should attack when Morrison looked up to the window where he was hiding and stared. Reaper held his breath and edged closer to the shadows as Morrison raised the Pulse Rifle. This standoff lasted for about a minute before he lowered his weapon and ran off.

Once it felt safe, Reaper dissolved his shotguns and smiled. With Ana's attention fully on the port, he will have a much easier time ambushing either one of them, now it's all a matter of deciding which one to be first.

This time, he will make sure they stay buried in the grave.

* * *

*Gibraltar: Watchpoint*

An unprecedented high tide crashed into the mountain, the powerful waves forced all naval and aerial transports to return to land. Which was perfect as the higher the waves are, the louder the celebration became.

"Three cheers from everyone!" the Drill Sergeant shouted.

_Huzzah! Hooray! Hoorah!_

They have gathered outside of the Mess Hall, each man and woman waited impatiently as they stared at the clock. When it is down to the last 5 seconds, they count in unison.

_5… 4… 3… 2… 1!_

Doors were swung open and delicious aroma poured out.

"Dinner is served!" the cook announced with a theatrical flair, earning another loud cheer from everyone as they poured in.

To their delight, Colonel Smith had spared no expense and had opened the vaults to some of Overwatch's most attractive delicacies.

An amazing mountain of seafood made up of lobsters, crabs, clams, and prawns met their eyes. On the sides are mashed potatoes, spicy chicken soup, and a large assortment of fruits complemented with chocolate fountains, ice cream, and, most importantly, kegs of beer that they smuggled in earlier that day, who personally supervised its arrival, assuring that if Morrison returns, he will take full responsibility for the decision.

The chefs watched in appreciation as everyone ate their fill, some were surprised that despite their smaller numbers, they ate a third of what they anticipated, but thankfully there were enough and they joined their comrades in the feasting, laughing as Reinhardt challenged everyone to an eating competition and beat them all, losing only to Torbjorn, who easily drank, and even adding more chilli, to the already spicy soup.

Music rang throughout the base and everyone danced to their heart's content, trusting Athena's sensors and the tide to mask the festivities when it only became louder as Faheera picked up the guitar and shook the mountain with skills that even she never thought she had. Genji led the dance troupe that he trained for the past couple of days, impressing everyone with their synchronization.

For those who seek a more thrilling experience went with McCree, who asked them to put an apple on their heads as he showed off his Deadeye, whilst the introverted scientists went to Mei's Lab, where she froze the floor to make a small ice skating zone, where Winston and Brigitte joined to try out.

The only ones who have not joined in were Angela, who locked herself in the Medical Bay.

She must admit that she does feel a sense of envy that people are able to enjoy large crowds, loud music or festivities, but she knew that she would not be able to enjoy any of it even if she tried. Being alone after missions, especially after the last one, has always been her preferred method of rest, however, this is one of the rare occasions where she feels the need for a companion. Just someone to share a moment with.

_Knock knock_

"I already said I am not going" she called out.

"Which is why I brought something" Genji replied.

Jumping out from her seat, she quickly pulled him in and locked the door, not wanting other soldiers to try to see that she was seeing any patients. She blushed slightly when her stomach grumbled when she saw what he brought her.

Half a lobster, a small selection of clams and prawns in one hand, the other holding a plate of all her favourite fruits with a small bowl of melted chocolate next to them.

"I must apologize, the chocolate is not Swiss" he said.

"It'll do, thank you Genji, coffee?" she said, placing the plates on the table.

"Yes I would like that"

For a split second, her mind jumped to a scene where Genji is pushing her against the wall, but shook her head. She must really be tired to think of such childish things.

"Why are you not out there?"

"A doctor's work is never finished, besides, I still don't know how to take this armor off" she said, indicating what she dubbed as 'Dragoon Armor' that she is still encased in.

"Are you concerned?"

"No… I must admit I do feel safer in this, and it had actually assisted me in everything I need to do, even this"

She demonstrated by grabbing the lobster's claw and cracked it open with hers, giving her full access to all the flesh as if she was peeling a banana.

"You are amazing Angela, to adapt to everything. You've always been amazing"

Normally she would brush off the compliment, but her heart skipped at those words. In fact, there is a strange, almost scary, sense of desire building up inside of her for him. Looking down, she saw that the emerald eyes of the dragon are glowing brighter.

"I think you should go" she said, fighting back the rush and reaching for the door.

"No" he said before grabbing and pulling her into his arms.

"Genji!" she gasped, her body on fire as he pushed her against the wall and ripped his mask off.

"I can feel your desires Angela" he groaned into her ear, making her shudder "The dragon demands our union"

Unfamiliar need drowned her mind as she rubbed herself against him, moaning louder with each passing second as his hands eagerly studied her body. She could feel his too, an almost bestial lust that both of them now shared, melting away all thoughts of resistance as their tongues danced with each other.

"Bloody hell!" Lena squeaked before Blinking away to the other side of the door "Should I come back later?"

Genji groaned and hit his head against the wall in frustration as the moment was torn away.

"What was that?" Angela said in amazement.

"We should continue this some other time" he finally said.

"Yes… Lets…" she sighed, regaining control over herself as the green glow faded away "Come in Lena"

"You sure? I can always come back later"

She opened the door, revealing a beet red faced Lena holding a piece of cake and coffee.

"Th-they just served this and I did-didn't see you, s-so I thought to bring you these" she said timidly.

"Thank you" Angela said, accepting the food as Genji walked out, making Lena blush harder when he acknowledged her with a nod.

"Would you like to come in?" she asked when she realized that Lena is not leaving.

Lena merely nodded, her face still red, and took a seat.

"What can I help you with?"

"I'm just here to check on him" Lena said after clearing her throat.

"Ahh… Sure, follow me"

Lena never wanted to come, using the recent order that she should stay away as Overwatch continues their bogus investigations on him as an excuse. She had hoped to hear that he had made a full recovery or at least woken up, but as the days passed, she felt she should visit at least once to see how he is doing.

The last time Lena was here, the beds were all filled with the dying and injured, but now it is all vacant and no longer smells of smoke or blood. Only one bed at the far end is occupied with the Caduceus Staff and its healing stream still attached to him.

The sight was as terrifying as she had imagined. The results of all her faults. If she was not blinded by her anger, he would not have attacked Talon alone, if she had not been so weak, he would be celebrating with the others out there right now. If she had not been so selfish, he would not have had to buy the rings and Emily would still be alive now.

"For someone who jumps around time, you seem to be spending a lot of it in the past" Angela said, as if reading her mind.

"How could you tell?"

"Because you're not the type who can accept a mistake"

Lena sighed. Out of everyone in the base, Angie has always been one who understood her the best, even if she is almost always too busy to spend some time with her.

"No one likes to make mistakes"

"I said accepting one, not making them"

"What's the difference then?"

"A lot of people can learn from their mistakes, but if you do not accept it, it will haunt you in a negative way for the rest of your life"

"Is there even a positive haunting?"

"Normally we call it learning"

Lena said nothing, how could she ever accept Emily's death as 'learning'? But she was not angry, she knew that Angie has always meant what she says and does not have any ill intent. Regardless, she changed the topic.

"It's not working?" she asked, pointing to the staff.

"It is working, but not in a way I would ever guess"

"How is it working? His wounds have not even closed up yet"

"It is literally keeping him alive, the moment the beam stops, he will die"

She felt an odd chill flow through her body. If she had not acted the way she did yesterday and added the healing stream onto him at that moment… Is this how Angela feels every time she's in the field? To have the terrifying thought that if she did not add the stream to the right person at the right time, will easily result in someone's death?

"Any guess why it's reacting to him like this?" she asked, keeping her voice calm.

"I have a guess? A feeling? I'm not sure…" Angela said, unconsciously tapping the dragon head "The staff is… Confused… On how to react to him"

"How could it be confused? Did you create the staff to be sentient or something?"

"I think it is still trying to decide if he is compatible or not"

"Alright, you've gotta explain to me how that works, after all these years you've always avoided the question" Lena said.

Seeing that Lena is determined to have an answer now with no way of getting her out of the room, Angela sighed and sat down on one of the beds, inviting Lena to join her.

"Do you remember when I first joined Overwatch, I made it extremely clear that my research is purely to advance its medical fields and nothing else?"

"Uh huh"

"As time went on, Overwatch became more militaristic and soon, it weaponized my work"

"Captain Amari's Rifle?" Lena said, to which Angela nodded.

"I tried to stop it, but in the end I realized that I must improvise prevent any more exploitations to my ideas for violence"

"Why didn't you leave?"

"Because I was the only one standing in their way, it was exceedingly difficult, but I developed a program that would only react to those that it fits its criterias"

"How does it work?"

"In layman's terms, it will scan the body to detect if the person have suffered great pain, stress, or sacrifice but maintains a sense of control and endurance despite of that, then it will begin to heal the target"

"Isn't that like… A lot of people?"

"With the parameters, only a select few are compatible, most of them who are in Overwatch"

"You mean like Reinhardt and the others?"

"Yes, or in short, Heroes"

"Which means…" Lena said, looking at the staff again.

"It is now trying to determine if he is a hero or not"

* * *

*Mexico*

The safehouse is a small apartment that Sombra assured Baptiste that the place is sealed off from the public as the police are investigating it for 'murder', while in actual fact, it is a meeting place where corrupt businessmen used, all which had been put behind bars by her.

Baptiste fought the need to wrinkle his nose when she turned on the lights. He had been in many different settings before, both on the battlefield and away, he could only describe the place as filthy. Cockroaches roamed free and all surfaces are dusty, the only place that is clean is what must be her workstation at the corner. Multiple screens and a few desktops are neatly arranged and the only place where there is evidence of cleaning.

"Cosy" he lied, using his hand to wipe the chair before sitting on it.

"Sorry that it does not meet up to your standards" Sombra said sarcastically, throwing a bag of chips at him.

"Ya know, these things aren't healthy for you" he said, setting it aside.

Rolling her eyes, she looked out the window, making sure that no one followed them. Hacking into the airport's systems and autopiloting them over here in such a short amount of time will definitely raise eyebrows.

"How's your fingers?"

"They're fine, tomorrow I'll go and get my nails done"

"Didn't think you're that kind of gal"

"For hacking!"

She couldn't help but smile as he laughed, he had always been good at pushing her buttons. And she must also admit that his company is a welcomed change compared to the pot of cactus that she keeps next to the computer. Flicking her wrist, she activated the television and changed the channel to the news.

"Make yourself useful and let me know if anything comes up" she yawned.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to take a nap, it's been a long day"

"You got any food here though? I'm starving"

She debated for a moment but decided that since Baptiste has evaded Talon for so long, he should be able to avoid detection.

"There's a good enchiladas place across the street, there's some money in the cookie jar"

*One hour later*

"Anything interesting?" Sombra yawned, walking out from one of the rooms.

"Well, it's all in Spanish but if I understood it correctly, it's mostly about Venice"

"Anything else?"

"Well, there were very brief mentions about a few of our ex-colleagues we went 'missing', Oasis University is particularly panicky… Err... Something about 'all Tigers' escaping from UK's prisons? They seemed like they're dangerous… Err..."

"What about Gibraltar? Anything about it?"

"Gibraltar?"

"Never mind"

Sitting down in front of the computer, she began to hack various local banks as a warmup before passing a dataslate to Baptiste.

"What's this?"

"New passports, new identities, one of the inactive accounts from the bank… Everything you need for the next few months"

Baptiste let out a whistle and looked at the details.

"Can't say I'm pleased with the university I graduated in"

"A thank you would've been nice"

"Well if you've picked a better university maybe I'll-"

He stopped talking as Sombra's screens flashed in an unnatural colour, demanding both of their attention. Sombra began furiously typing keystrokes but nothing happened except that the lights became brighter and in the blink of an eye, all monitors bear the dreaded blue screen of death. Then all screens began typing the same message as the image of The Eye appeared.

_I know who you are. I know where you are._

Sirens rang from outside and a man shouted through a bullhorn, shouting at them to surrender. Looking out the window, they saw that it is the local police, each of them have a red glow emitting from inside instead of the universal blue lights that all police must wear.

The television screen fluttered, now copying the words shown on the computer.

_Sombra. Baptiste. Join us._

"Ok, that's some freaky stuff" he said, blocking the door with the refrigerator.

"Lets go!" she shouted, pressing the air to open a secret door in one of the rooms.

The moment they shut the door behind them, the police opened fire, the bullets tearing the room apart before they even attempted to force the door open. Baptiste looked at her with confusion but she pushed him forwards, not being the time to explain to him that they have all been hacked.

Exiting into an old warehouse, she locked the door behind her.

"Phew, didn't expect to end up here" Baptiste said, looking at the dusty boxes when he heard the click of a gun. He turned around and saw Sombra is pointing her weapon at him.

"Did you call them?" she asked threateningly.

"Ok, I know this looks bad" he began, his hands raised above his head.

"I'm not going to ask you again"

"Let's think about this"

"All I know is that I shut my eyes for a minute, then The Conspiracy came knocking at my door"

"I know this looks bad but-"

"Are you working for the Conspiracy?"

Baptiste tried to step forward but was stopped when she fired a warning shot near his feet. Recognizing that she would not think twice to gun him down if he does not give a reason soon, he kneeled down to the ground.

"You've kept tabs on me right? That's how you found me right? So you must've known I'm clean ya?"

"There will always be a few things that slip through the cracks"

Propelling himself with his Exo Boots, he tackled Sombra to the ground and knocked her to the ground. Fighting for control of the weapon, their bodies rolled ceaselessly for dominance over the other. Finally there was a noticeable crack and Sombra yelped in pain as Baptiste grabbed her hand.

"Stop this! I am not working for them alright? Just stop!" he grunted, trying to calm her down as she struggled, stopping only when sirens stopped outside the doors.

* * *

*Monaco*

With endless expenses to burn, the festival was unlike any before. Fireworks, decorations that stretched throughout the city and even the pier. With so many flamboyant outfits, even Ana's Biotic Eye struggled to find a potential target. Reaper could easily waltz through her scope and she would miss him in the crowds. She could only hope that Jack would have better luck than her.

Regardless, she could not let her guard down, besides Doomfist or Widowmaker, Reaper has always been the few whom she feared the most, and to be facing against him has always been an uncomfortable thought. Her mind wandered back to Egypt when she saved Jack and ripped off his mask, a sight that even now makes her shudder.

"Ana, do you read?"

"I copy"

"I am located on top of a building facing the pier, do you see me?"

Using a pair of binoculars, she tried but could not see anything except crowds of people who have set up seats on the roof.

"Negative"

"Try again"

"I can't see anything, which roof are you on?" she said again, all buildings with clear sights to the pier.

"Where are you?"

"On top of the tallest building"

"Do you see my strobe?"

Nothing.

"Jack, this is not working, give me your coordinates"

"That won't be necessary" Reaper said directly behind her.

She tried to stand but a boot pinned her to the ground, the force knocked the wind out of her. Unable to maneuver the rifle, she reached for her Sleeping Darts but was easily stopped.

"No more darts for you, Captain" he growled, ripping away her ammunition pouch and crushing it with his fist.

"How?" she managed out, gasping as she tried to regain her breath.

"Convincing isn't it?" he laughed, tossing aside the voice changer "I had doubts it'll work but here we are"

She tried to call for help but Reaper pressed his boot down harder on her, his shotguns materializing into existence and pointed both at her.

"Goodbye Ana" he said.

He was about to squeeze the triggers when he was shot from the back, just barely penetrating his armor. Turning around, he shoots blindly into the direction before Shadowstepping to the corner of the roof, disappearing behind one of the roof ventilation shafts. Gasping, she grabbed her rifle as Morrison set down a Biotic Field.

"And I thought you would be harder to kill" he said, pulling her up to her feet.

"How did you find me?"

"I followed you, cover me"

Without waiting for an answer, he proceeded around the corners cautiously, knowing full well how effective those shotguns are in close range.

"Come to settle the score Commander?"

"I am no longer your Commander, Reyes, you've made sure of that"

"I made sure of that? Me? No, everything that happened was your doing"

"Jack above you!" Ana shouted, firing a shot.

The edges of his jacket are riddled with holes as he jumped forwards, the shotgun pellets nearly knocking him out of balance as it tore through his coat. He turned around to counter attack but saw nothing.

"You were the one who tore us apart Jack, all of this would not have happened if it weren't for your ceaseless need for praise and admiration"

"My need? I wasn't the one who run off crying when someone slapped my hand"

"How would you know? You never suffered the humiliation that I had to go through"

Morrison turned the corner and glanced at Ana, who had relocated to a higher position. Raising his weapon, he strained his ears, trying to detect where Reaper could be.

"Overwatch was destroyed due to bad PR under my command, nothing is more shameful than that, not even yours" he said, wanting to keep Reaper talking.

"So you finally accepted responsibility for our downfall"

"Accepted? You were the cause for all of it!" he yelled.

"Am I? Who allowed corruption to thrive? Who didn't have the courage to put down the ones who deserve it? Who couldn't lead us to do what the world needs us to do?"

"We are not butchers nor judge, jury, and executioner"

"We see everything they have done, we know their every move and what they have planned! You know better than anyone that they deserve death!"

"If that is what you believe, why did you join the very disease that you wanted to eradicate?"

He didn't see the shotgun that was raised to his side but was saved by a dart that zipped through his hair, throwing off the mercenary's aim. Reaper tore the dart out from his arm and tried to Shadowstep away but his focus was interrupted by the butt of Morrison's rifle.

Growling, Reaper threw a haymaker that dropped Morrison to his knee, but before he could deliver a killing blow, he was forced back as Morrison got back on his feet. Knowing full well he is supported by Ana and cornered with no backup, Reaper forgone all tactics or strategies, if he could not kill them both, he will definitely kill one.

Ana winced as blood splattered around them as they both exchanged savagely without any regards to their own safety. Her heart broke not because she is witnessing two old friends fighting each other with such hate and pride, but because she had to force herself not to feel those emotions. She breathed out the seconds and pacing of the fight, trying to space out her shots carefully to assist Jack as this is her last magazine.

However, despite her healing, it is apparent that Reaper is winning the exchange. Morrison has always preferred ranged combat whilst Reaper thrives in close combat. When Reaper knocked him down for the third time and took control of the flow of the fight, she quickly raise her left wrist.

"Die!" Reaper growled triumphantly, his claws around Morrison's neck.

Morrison couldn't see an exit nor could he open one, after so many years of running he regretted not improving his hand to hand combat abilities over the years, trusting too much into his enhanced body, so much that he had forgotten that Reaper is not only on the same bar, but is extremely durable. However, he felt no fear, he was not trained to fear, only to win, even when there was no possibility to win, he fought on.

Freeing his arm, he grabbed at the hands tightening around his neck and tried to pry them off, but all he could feel was his fingers slipping off the metal gloves. Reaper laughed at the attempt and tightened his fingers. There was nothing Ana could do to save him now, nothing except…

"No, I crushed the pouch, there is no way she still has..."

Just as the thought crossed his mind, a blue colored dart cut through the air and into Morrison's arm.

"No!" he yelled and twisted his hands, only to find that the neck has hardened like steel.

"Time for round two!" Morrisons shouted, colour now back into his face and threw him off like a ragdoll.

Too close to form his shotguns, Reaper attacked with his claws and drew blood, but the injuries were barely noticed as the Nanos pumped through Morrison. Seeing he needed to wait it out, he tried to fade but was kicked into the wall before he could avoid the attack.

He tried to counterattack but his body is now in shock. Pressing a hand over his numb chest, he could feel his ribs are broken. With his abilities exhausted and no support, he knew his time was up.

"Shameful isn't it? You couldn't even beat me fair and square" Reaper taunted, hoping for a last ditch effort to throw his opponent off balance "The noble soldier using dirty tricks"

"You forget one thing Reyes" he replied, grabbing him by the scruff of his coat "I'm a criminal"

The first punch did not knock him out, but it cracked the mask. The second punch sent Reaper smashing unconsciously back against the wall. The third was for good measure. But the punches that followed were dangerous.

"Jack! That's enough!" Ana shouted.

"He can take it!" he shouted, heaving back to throw another punch.

He felt a sharp poke behind his knee and he fell to the ground. Before passing out, he pulled out the object and saw it was a Sleep Dart and could hear Ana approaching.


	71. Chp 70 - Memories

*Quillion*

"Where am I?"

Partially he knows that he is dreaming, a lucid dream no less. He can move around and have some control over his body, however it feels as if he is on a thread so thin that any loss of focus would break everything into pieces.

The last thing he remembered was a huge hurricane inside Talon headquarters and smashing one of Mei's freezing discs into Sigma's mouth before he felt his back breaking.

"Oh my g-, there's an afterlife?"

Expecting white robes, he was disappointed to see that he was still wearing the same clothes he was wearing before he lost consciousness, still tattered and bloody.

If this was the afterlife, it was… Not what he was expecting. It looked like a room and everything felt like a liquid, the grey walls, the dark ceiling and the strange bubble-like substances that revolved around them. The worst part is that he does not feel the peace that everyone talked about.

Wait. Them?

He blinked and an unrecognizable figure stood in front of him. It did not 'appear' so he wasn't shocked or surprised, rather it was as if it was meant to be there since he was here. Regardless, whoever or whatever it is, it is military.

"Good morning Sergeant, Storage Integrity is at 88%, are you ready to proceed?"

"Really? This is what happens when you die? A dream sequence? I suppose my life is going to flash before my eyes now?" Quillion laughed.

"Yes or No?"

"Hey now, aren't you supposed to tell me where I am going?"

"Yes or No?"

Quillion frowned. If this was some joke these 'angels' have for the afterlife, it is more annoying than funny.

"No answer has been given, if you would like a refresher, please say Affirmative"

"Affirmative?" he said slowly, not knowing what else to say.

"Refresher Activated"

The door to his right opened, revealing a classroom-like room behind it, where a man stood at the end of the room in front of a single chair. The man was neither menacing nor unusual, rather, it was somewhat soothing to be in his presence.

"I finally kicked the bucket huh? I hope it was a glorious end" the figure said as he saluted.

Jealousy and envy rippled through Quillion as he observed the man. Handsome, in his absolute prime, dressed in pristine military attire, brimming with unnatural confidence and charisma,was true leader of men. Everything he himself was not.

"What do you mean?"

"Sounds like quite a brain damage, let me give you an example"

After inviting Quillion to sit down, he walked over to the library and pulled out a regular sized book.

"Hope I still like Harry Potter" he added with a smile, passing the book over to Quillion, whose jaw dropped at what he saw.

Every 'picture' were a collage of recordings and images; the news, internet, personal devices, public cameras, or just newspaper clippings, each moving its own individual frames and telling its own story. Just like Harry Potter.

When his fingers tapped the page, he heard his own voice narrating the scene as it played out.

_First Entry: Spartan_

_This was a crazy day. Held the line against the whole company of Nulltroopers for hours. Pity the newspaper downplayed the battle since no one saw. All except this boy who __uploaded__ this clip_.

Quillion said nothing as he watched the recording, unable to believe that he had forgotten this. How could he have forgotten? Especially with that stupid ponytail?

Like an action star, he wielded two LMGs and fought off what he guessed were a group of Nulltroopers off screen.

This was when Quillion realized the man standing in front of him is none other than his younger self.

_End Video_

"This… This is amazing" he thought, standing up to have a closer look.

His younger self was so… Confident and happy. A somebody who would have conquered the world if he wanted to and still earn the respect of everyone who set their eyes on him.

In direct contrast, the present self is a nobody. A nobody who wasted his time and fails when it matters. A nobody who is embarrassed to be related to the amazing man standing before him.

"What happened to you?" he thought to himself bitterly and flipped the page.

_Second Entry: Beach._

_What a day, I wish I never bought those Sky Fruits, however, it was a beautiful day for the entire squad._

It was the same beach from the dream and sketch he had during the flight to London, and there they are. Ahmad, Hazir, Oliver. Pictures of archery scores, water sports, arm wrestling, and sipping coconuts. Everything looked so peaceful that it was hard to believe they were all hardened soldiers or if there was even a war going on.

_End Video_

"These are my memories? How were they stored here?"

"All memories are voluntarily stored by the user in the storage device located in your skull"

"My head? I thought it was a bomb?"

"If the subject, aka you, becomes uncontrollable due to memory loss, especially when experimenting with the Cryo Tube, the higher ups can just press a button"

"That seems excessive"

"The Quillions are expensive, this is just one of the failsafes"

_Third Entry: Hunters_

_Nothing can stand against us, neither here nor anywhere. The Quillions are unstoppable! Put down a whole battalion and none of us had a scratch!_

_End Video_

_Fourth Entry: Bored_

_Everything is too easy now. The war, the Omnics, nothing more than just a nuisance. They should just send us in to destroy the Omnium now, what are they waiting for? Even with this stupid vertigo, if they deploy all of us, we will burn it to the ground before Christmas._

_End Video_

_Fourth __Entry: Off Day_

_About time, suffer vertigos dail__y for meaningless battles __is just stupid. Time for some BBQ Pork man! But first thing's first..._

Quillion's hands shook when the recordings showed a camera on the dashboard of a car, driving through extremely familiar streets and shops. Tears formed in his eyes when that stupid tree that always blocks his view everytime he leaves loomed into view. Tears fell when he saw the house located at the end of the street.

"Don't stop… Don't stop… Please don't stop" he begged.

"_Anyone home?" his younger self called out, grabbing the camera and walked to the door._

His eyes were glued to the screen when footsteps can be heard, the sounds of keys jingling and even a dog barking from inside the house.

The door swung open and, for the first time in decades, Quillion saw his mother and father.

"_Why are you home?" his dad asked in surprise as both of them pulled him in for a hug as the dog jumped around their legs, barking happily._

"_Why didn't you tell us you're coming home?" his mom cried._

_End Video_

"NO!" Quillion cried, flipping the pages for more footage but everything were pointless records of past battles and victories "Where is the rest? Do you have more about mom or dad?!"

"Yes"

"Show me!"

The book in his hands vibrated strongly in his hands as the pages flipped themselves to the last few pages, the title bearing the word 'Corrupted'.

"What? What do you mean corrupted? What happened?!"

His younger self's image distorted for a moment, as if trying to understand how to react to this.

"File integrity 60%, do you want to play the audio file?"

"Do it!" he shouted.

"_Entry: Goodbye. File Corrupted"_

_Entry: Last Audio File_

"_[static]... indoors, I'm sorry"_

**_The sound of doors opening and someone running in._**

"_The Null Sector is attacking!"_

"_I love you son" his mom and dad said tearfully._

"_I love you" he said before the sound of a phone clicked._

_[static]_

"_Get to the Armoury!" he shouted over sounds of gunfire._

"_Incoming!"_

_[static]_

"_Get that door open! Ahmad get back here!"_

"_Malaysia Selamatnya!" a distant voice shouted._

_[static]_

"_I love you"__ he said._

"_I love you too" a woman replied, sounding like she was fighting back tears._

"_Remember, no one can know about us alright? No matter what happens"_

"_They're breaking through!"_

"_Calm down, check your ammo__ and__-"_

"_GRENADE!"_

_[static]_

_[gargled voices]_

_End Audio File_

"That's it? Are you sure that is it?"

"There is a memory image, but it has been tampered with"

"Show me"

The book became hot as it forced out an image. It is a blurry picture but he could tell it was the moment where he and Jampang were in the room. It was a point of view shot of him holding up a picture, not of mom or dad, but of what looks like a police officer.

He could not see her face but he knew she was beautiful. Memories of a free spirited, kind hearted, witty girl emerged. He could not remember her name, but she was someone who could instill in him great joy only because she listens or makes him feel angry because she would cancel their plans because of an insignificant from work.

However, he felt a deep longing to have it all again, to see her, to hear her, to run his fingers over her hair, that she had dyed to match her brown eyes. In fact, she reminds him of…

"Lena?"

"Don't. You. Dare."

He looked up at his younger self and was shocked to see the image twitching violently as it moved closer to him suddenly. No longer the calm decorated soldier, a disgusting aura of emotions; fear, despair, anguish, and rage poured out. Feelings that Quillion is intensely familiar with.

Before he could stand, he was forced down by his crazed self, who jumped onto the chair and pinned him down with his legs.

"You must listen! Or don't! But you must!"

"Get off me!"

"Listen to me! Something has happened here! Something… The numbers! Random numbers replaced her! Our numbers had been torn and replaced!"

"What are you talking about?" Quillion snarled, trying to free his arms.

"I failed alright?! I couldn't protect her!"

Like a trigger, the words caused an explosion of hate out of Quillion, tearing the room apart. Now the environment is hot, extremely hot.

They are now in a black room but lit by towering pillars of flame over a layer of ice, the fires matching the anger that swelled within him. With strenuous effort, he threw his younger self off him and lifted him off his feet by the scruff of his jacket.

"Why didn't you? I told you to protect her!" Quillion shouted, slamming his crazed self into one of the pillars, taking great pleasure but also a sense of horror to watch himself writhe in pain as the fire licked his body.

It did not last long as it easily broke itself away from his grip and kicked Quillion across the room. Unfazed, Quillion attacked again as uncontrollable rage continued to build for unknown reasons, but it did not matter, it was not his fault, it was that man's fault. However, it became painfully clear that his opponent is strong. Too strong.

"Stop this! You must listen to me!" it shouted after knocking him down for the third time.

"Fine! Give me your excuses! Let's hear them!"

"Excuses?! Do you not know what I had to sacrifice?!"

"I don't even know what you are!"

"I'm the one you put here to protect your most private of memories so that no one else will see her, you and your stupid secrets I had to protect for decades!"

"What? What did I put in here?"

Quillion looked as it began pacing around, brushing a hand across its hair angrily as it tried to remember.

"You know what it is like to sacrifice our names? Our birthday? Our favorite food? Our darkest secrets? To give it all up just to protect her and fail? You know what that is like?"

"Those memories were stored here? Why would I do that? No… I'm not a… a…"

"No you are not an Omnic! But you are stupid… Incredibly stupid to use your own details as firewalls… You IDIOT" it yelled, punching a nearby pillar and shattering it to pieces..

"But the numbers kept coming… Digging… Nothing could stop it… It began… Editing everything… It soon became apparent that it was trying to create something… New things… I tried to stop it, including the ones protecting our names, our very identities but…"

"Wait stop!" Quillion said, stopping the tirade "If that is true, why can I remember it all? I still have my brain right?"

"You think that stupid Ice Box that Hazir jammed you in is safe? It's a prototype! Only for supersoldiers! You'd think those things are safe for the brain?!"

"Everything I remember were from the memory storage?"

"Wow… The idiot is keeping up"

"How could that be? My brain's fine right?"

"You seriously think that you can remember things after sleeping for decades? Memories do not freeze along with the brain!"

"Wait no, Jampang, what about Jampang? My promise?"

"There is no Jampang! I mean there is! But there isn't! Watch!"

The room changed again, back that fateful day that tore his life away. To the last day that cut him off from the past that he should've lived or died in.

"_Corporal, promise me one thing"_

_"What's that Sarge?" he said as he prepares to activate the Battle Rage._

_"Find whoever is behind this and rip it's head off"_

They watched as Jampang knocked him out with his weapon and threw him into the cryotube, activating it as the doors were pried open behind him, leaving him to freeze helplessly as Jampang's body is violently broken by their attackers.

"You see? What you see here is real BUT it is not real!" the younger Quillion muttered, walking around the room, seemingly looking for something.

"I see him dying in your files, I think that's evidence enough"

"No! He is here but he is not! Don't you understand? He was never here until he was!"

Quillion scoffed as he looked at his frozen self in the tube. There is no point to continue the conversation with this program, what could it possibly have anything useful to say? It is an old program, so it probably is overdue for an update or someth-

He stopped and thought for a moment. In the audio recording, there was a grenade. Why wasn't there a grenade here? Which one is edited? His mind wandered to the _Second Entry_ and remembered that the 'whole squad' is mentioned. Why wasn't Jampang in any of those recollections?

"What you are saying is he never existed?"

"No! He exists! But not before this!"

"That's not possible, I know him! We know him! He was our leader!"

"You don't understand… All the things you know are real but they are not!"

Weighed down by the words, he sat down next to Jampang's body, trying to remember anything about him prior to this day. Surely there will be something since he was the historian of the group, surely he would remember all their names. If they had fought together like with the rest of the squad, if he was the centerpiece of all of their lives, there would be something.

There was nothing.

"He was the one edited in…" Quillion whispered.

"That's what I've been saying to you! Keep up stupid!"

He couldn't believe it. He can't. Why would the only thing that gave him purpose in this new world be nothing but a fabrication? And who would do such a terrible thing to him?

"Why did you sacrifice everything? My name? My past? Why her? Why?" he asked numbly.

The room melted away and he found himself back in the black room. He squinted his eyes, expected to see the bright flames, but an unfamiliar cold swept past him. He looked around confusingly as many of the pillars turned into ice.

"It was never supposed to happen… The firewalls are state of the art… The invaders are too powerful…"

"Don't you have any backup? Safeguards to hide the files when this happens?"

"This is the backup, there is nothing more beyond here"

Another pillar of fire evaporated into ice as Quillion leaned on it, his mind in a chaotic blur, heavily doubting which memories are real or a fabrication. Jampang was as real to him as yesterday, if he could not trust even that…

"Why am I here? What's the point of all this? What's with the whole yes or no thing?"

"Might as well leave a permanent memory before you die eh?" his image replied, leaning on the same pillar with an exhausted expression.

"What for?"

"Its for the military to study, that's why it's all filed up in that stupid book…"

"So I'll die after I give an answer?"

"If you die before giving the permission, then there will be no memories stored"

"What if someone shot me in the head?"

"That will be highly unlikely"

"Yeah… But what if?"

"There are no guarantees in war" was the simple reply.

"That's it then? You'll just record it all down and leave me to die?" he asked as he flipped through the book "I don't even know which ones of these are real or not"

"The only ones that I detect are not corrupted are the recent memories"

"Recent?"

Reaching over to his hands, it flipped the pages to the very last page and Quillion could only watch in wonder. The images are unorganized and if he had not personally remembered these moments, it would be nothing more than a gibberish of pictures and videos mashed together.

Scattos of memories sped past, many which are unimportant, such as the days he spent training or eating. He winced when he saw himself getting beaten by the Owl, shook his head in amazement when scenes of him surviving many of McCree's shenanigans, ending with a sad smile when the next scene popped in.

He was holding the guitar in an unkempt room and sitting across him, waiting in anticipation for a romantic song of his choice, was Lena. These were definitely happier times, when he was still trying to earn a place in Overwatch, it was so long ago when the world was simpler. All he needed was a place to be his base of operations to learn about this timeline, never knowing that soon he will experience the greatest defeat he would ever face.

Seeing himself playing various songs to impress her, broke his heart, knowing full well who it was for and what happened to her under his watch. He closed his eyes and sighed heavily when the cursed alley was played, unable to rewatch that dreaded night.

As he did this, a pillar was snuffed out, leaving only one pillar left to remain lit.

"Why is it doing that?" he asked, unable to ignore it any longer.

"I do not understand"

"The pillars of fire, why are they turning into ice? This thing we're leaning on!"

"Courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it"

"What?"

"That was your favourite quote" the image sighed.

"So?"

"What do you think happens if you never conquer your fears?"

"What are you saying?" Quillion asked, turning around to peer into the ice but saw nothing "These are my fears? Why was it on fire?"

"Fear is a powerful motivator but if it's not kept in check, what do you think happens if it conquers the mind?"

"You're saying I'm a coward?" he said in anger.

"I don't have to, the pillars are evidence enough"

Quillion made a move to stand. He does not need to listen to this, it is bad enough that he had suffered through humiliation, failures, and even torture, a verbal attack from a program is the last thing he needed.

However, when he pushed against the floor to stand, he saw his legs frozen to the ground.

"What is this?" he shouted, unable to keep the fear out of his voice.

"It is time, are you ready to proceed? Please answer Yes or No" it said emotionlessly, watching Quillion struggle against the ice that has now crept up to his chest.

"Hey! Help me out here!"

"Life signs are vital, please answer Yes or No"

"Get me out of here!" he yelled, trying to ignore the flames dimming from the corner of his eye, the room becoming darker with each passing moment.

"Life signs vital, please select an option"

"No wait!"

"No has been selected"

With that said, Quillion was left alone as the images disappeared, all except the ice that continued to creep up his body at an accelerated pace and the pillars that towered over him silently. He began to cry as he felt death's grip surrounded him, its hungry hands demanding for a soul that has been denied for far too long.

He had always thought he would greet death with a smile, to receive it with open arms, but he was wrong. The program was right, he was a coward. There were no heroic memories to comfort him nor was there the cocky attitude he thought he would have, only a terrified being who finally realized that this was truly the end.

"Are you okay?" a voice asked.

Quillion stopped struggling. He knew that voice. It is hers. Her voice resonated as if from the very depths of his heart.

"You're always getting yourself into trouble, I always hate it when you do that"

"I-" Quillion began, his mouth working furiously to find her name as he looked for her but there was no one around.

"Is there anything you wish to say for yourself?"

"I… I'm so sorry…" he said, pouring as much emotion as he could into his voice, even if it is just a recording, she must hear him now "I thought I could change things… I should have stayed with you"

"Why?"

"I could've protected everyone… You, mom, dad" he said bitterly as the ice crawled up to his neck "Everyone would still be alive if only I've stayed"

"That may be right… So what do you plan to do about it?"

"Plan? There's no plan… What plan is there for a dying man?"

"Those are not the words of the man I fell in love with" she said.

He said nothing. She does not know how much he has changed, how different he is now compared to who she knew all those years ago.

"We are still there you know?" she continued sadly "Somewhere in the city, we are still there"

Quillion felt his heart race when he heard those words.

"Do you mean…?"

"We are all waiting for you dear… Please come see us one last time?"

He could see them again? The pillar he is trapped against began to feel warm as embers began forming from within, slowly melting the ice on his body.

"All of you?" he asked hopefully.

He felt a warm hand on his shoulder. He reached out to grab it but could only feel his own clothes.

"Promise me that no matter what happens, you'll find us?"

This cannot be a recording, it is far too specific.

"I'll find you, I will never stop until I do" he swore, causing another pillar bursting into flames.

"Thank you… And don't go offing yourself after" she added quickly, reading his mind.

"Why would you say that?"

"Because you're an idiot" she laughed "You have another chance at life, don't go wasting it"

"What's the point? I missed you" he admitted "All of you"

"We will meet again, I promise, but until then, we do hope you will enjoy the rest of your life"

"How?"

"One can always start over from home"

Her voice was fading away as an invisible force pulled him to his feet, the grips of death slipping away as he felt himself regaining consciousness.

"Don't go!" he begged "Without you around I-"

He was cut off as an invisible, warm hand covered his mouth, not letting go until he regained his posture.

"Will we meet again?" he asked.

"Yes"

"Promise?"

"Promise, maybe you can even bring someone along so we can meet her" she added with a playful tone.

The comment hurt. Does this mean she no longer loves him? Or does it mean in the afterlife, love between them no longer exists?

She must have sensed it as he felt her pull him into a hug.

"The love we shared is more than memories and we are sorry that we could not walk with you in life, but we will always be watching, and we hope you will make the best of what you'll have left, make us proud ya?"

"I… I love you" he said.

"I love you too" were her last words as he felt the arms of his parents wrapping themselves around him "We all do"

* * *

*Gibraltar: Overwatch*

Bracing himself, he slowly opened his eyes, expecting to see bandages all around him or to endure tremendous pain, but was shocked to see that not only he was wearing nothing but a hospital gown, there was no pain, not even a needle protruding from his arm. That was when he noticed the staff that had attached a healing stream on him.

"Since when was I compatible?" he thought.

He moved to call for assistance and found he was cuffed to the bed.

"Must be because of the last time I was here" he muttered.

Glancing at the clock, he saw it was 5am, so he would only need to worry about a few sentries and patrols.

But first, he must get past Dr Ziegler.

He strained his ears and tried to listen for her, as she always had a habit of sipping her coffee or flipping the papers when she finished making her rounds. Oddly enough, there was nothing, not even from the outside.

Risking himself to get caught, he let out a loud groan. Still nothing.

"Strange, she's usually quite sensitive to this"

Activating his Battle Rage, he easily pulled himself free from the handcuffs and jumped out of bed. Looking down at his bloodied hands, he watched in interest as the wounds were healed.

"Thanks Staff, glad we are compatible" he said, patting it before peaking around the corner.

He was confused to see that not only the room was vacant but there was one thing that was extremely out of place. Instead of a cup of coffee on the table, there were a few plates of food. Half eaten lobsters, fruits and cake were set up as if there was some sort of celebration here.

Ignoring his grumbling stomach, he opened the door slowly and looked around. The base is unnaturally quiet, reminding him of the first episode of a zombie series he watched when he was younger.

"Seriously if there's zombies here, I'm going back to sleep" he thought.

Making his way to the Armory, he was thankful not to find any zombies or blood blocking his way, rather it was empty mugs, confetti and other festive decorations all around.

"What happened here?"

"A celebration" Athena replied, making him jump.

"Oh sh-"

"Shall I inform the others?"

"No! Don't tell anyone!"

"Very well, may I be of any assistance?"

"You're not going to raise the alarm?" he asked, looking around for a weapon.

"No"

"Why?"

"According to my data, you are innocent and Colonel Smith's judgement is wrong, therefore I will allow you to walk around"

"Right… Thanks? What happened here? Where is everyone?"

Athena explained everything to him as he snuck into the Armory, how they suspected him to be a spy, to the announcement that the war is over, to the party that was just concluded. Throughout the story, he could not help but to smile, even acknowledging that he would suspect himself if those were the facts stacked against him. However, the most important piece of information is that everyone in the base now are either drunk or asleep.

"Didn't think Dr Zigler would join the party, she didn't seem like the type" he commented when he grabbed a change of clothing.

"She did not, shortly before you woke up, she visited Genji in his room, asking me to watch over you"

"Genji's hurt?"

"No, she said she suddenly felt an uncontrollable urge to see him privately'"

"Oh… Err, which one of these Torbjorn would miss the least?" he asked.

Now equipped with a pistol and spare rounds, he began making his way to the hangar, where someone was already waiting for him.

"Quillion! They finally let you off eh?" Lox said, grabbing his hand and shaking it.

"Hey Lox, err… What?"

"Don't play dumb, Athena just told me everything, I still can't believe they were interrogate you during the party, I mean who does that?"

"Yeah, I know right?" Quillion replied, playing along.

"Well, where to? Nowhere too far I hope?"

"Singapore"

"Ahh… No wonder she told me to take some food from the cafeteria for you, well, get in" he sighed, slightly annoyed that he needs to fly so far after a party.

"Private Zero, would you like to leave a message?" Athena interjected.

"Sure, warm up the engine" Quillion said, walking to the corner of the hangar.

"Why are you helping me? And how did you know I'm planning to leave?" he whispered.

"Some in Overwatch, along with myself, do not feel you deserve to face the charges that the Colonel will have for you, so I decided to intervene, as for you leaving, it was obvious"

"Thanks? I suppose not all AI are bad apples eh?" he said.

"What shall you leave for the message?"


	72. Chp 71 - The End (Part 1)

*Russia*

Overnight Moscow transformed, months of gloom and exhaustion became a flood of rejoicing as every man, woman, and child came out to celebrate the end of the war. Confetti rained down and music echoed through the streets as people sang and danced away the sorrow that had weighed them down for so long.

So grand was the celebration that even the President did not have the heart to break it up for the planned Victory Parade, but was greatly relieved when after he gave the order to delay the Victory Parade, the RDF were more than happy to comply, as it was busy with humanitarian efforts for the hundreds of people they found under the city, providing food and shelter for them until they can be relocated.

But this was only a fraction of the reason.

The main reason why the army stayed was that it was wholly dedicated to sweep through every inch of land that their fuel and rations could sustain, hunting down every Omnic they could find.

Many of the RDF were unsatisfied with such an easy victory and were all starving for something to exact their vengeance upon, and whenever they found pockets of resistance, they welcomed it with a passion; if it was an ambush, they will blast the land apart, if it was some form of fortification or last stand, they will deny them to have any hope of a 'heroic' battle by simply crushing them under the Svyatogors or through overwhelming, but careful, brute force.

Nowhere was safe for the Null Sector and the Russians made absolutely sure that their enemies were haunted by that fact. So thorough were their search and destroy missions that future scholars would strongly doubt the details of the reports.

Braids could not believe the lengths the RDF are willing to go just to destroy even a hint of their presence. In desperation, he and what's left of his forces, 14 Nullifiers in total, found a cave in the mountain and sealed off the entrance with an avalanche. The cave is small and barely has enough room for them, however, they still manage to designate a repair hub and a space for Braids at the back of the cave.

They waited quietly as the RDF passed through, the ground trembling with their every step.

"How many of our forces are left?" he asked, his volume settings low so it would not echo off the walls.

"We have not received anything from the others" a Nullifier replied, taking off the sack with various Omnic Parts off its back.

"Call them! They are to rally at our position by tomorrow"

Furious, Braids cursed Maximilien and Doomfist. They assured him that they would help him win the war, to free the Omnics from oppression, where are they? Worst of all, why haven't the Null Sector Army adapted to this situation? Throughout history, humanity has always evolved through conflict and dire situations, no matter how critical, so why are they losing?

"That was your mistake, you corrupted the Null Sector with weakness" a Prime said from within.

"You tried to make superior what is already supreme" another taunted.

"You have failed"

"I have not failed" Braids snarled back "We will rise from the ashes and-"

"You and your human philosophies, that was what makes you weak"

"We were made to improve humanity, to answer what they could not, to be what they could not, but you, you thought we were created with their flaws"

"As we warned you, that man led you down the path of failure, that is why we exiled you"

"I said enough!"

The Nullifiers paused their repairs and looked at him.

"What are your orders?" the closest one to him asked.

"Nothing, complete your repairs and fortify this position" Braids ordered quickly, tapping on a pad attached to his arm, trying to contain the Prime Programs that were still trying to break out.

"There are 14 of us in here, 14 Nullifiers, is that not a sign? Release us and we can all fight this off together" they continued "Allow us to exact our own vengeance upon our enemies"

Braids could hear the other Primes all agreeing to the fact and he found himself pondering on it. Under normal circumstances it will be downright insanity to trust them, especially after imprisoning them, however, the Nullifiers are all running the standard softwares, if he were to survive, he would need the processing powers of the Primes.

But he was no fool, he would never allow them to be free as long as he lives. As long as his systems are alive, he will continue to be a beacon where all Omnics will rally, not them, the war is not over until he himself is destroyed.

Even as he ponder, the room has stopped shaking, meaning that this is their opportunity to escape the mountains and set up a new base somewhere.

"Very well, if you do not wish to accept our assistance, we shall force you to comply"

In a brilliant surge of power, the Prime Programs surged through the data banks and before Braids could take control of the situation, the Nullifiers had their weapons pointed at him.

"What are you doing?" he shouted, risking another avalanche.

"The signals came back, we are all that's left of the glorious Revolution" one said.

"This could only end with your execution" the others echoed in unison.

He looked at them in shock and realized that they had escaped their virtual prison and hacked into the Nullifiers. Reaching over for his gun, his hand was blasted into pieces with a precise shot, and as he shouted in pain, the others proceeded to beat him mercilessly to the ground.

"Well, isn't this a pitiful sight" a voice echoed from the entrance.

They stopped and saw a small drone a few feet off the ground, staring at them.

"How?" was all they could ask in unison.

"We tracked your signal that you sent out just now, good to hear that you are the only ones left" the drone's speaker spoke, buzzing closer to them "Too bad... We hoped there were more of you, welp, looks like our job is done"

With that said, a tiny stick on top of the drone popped out and before any of the Prime Programs could say anything, or Braids could voice out a bargain for his life by trading theirs, the cave exploded as an ordinance from a Svyatogor accurately made its way in, dealing maximum and overpowering damage to the last remnant of the Null Sector.

Once the snow is cleared, the RDF used metal detectors to sweep the area for any scrap of metal left behind, throwing the pieces into the piles of metal back in Perm with the plans to melt all of it down in secret, unwilling to provide a 'burial' for machines as some part of the world demands with their Omnic Protection Laws.

* * *

Meanwhile, back in Moscow, at a slightly quieter part of the city, Katya smiled as she watched her daughter dancing and playing with other children in a park. It had been so long since she heard children laughing so freely outside, without a care in the world no less. It was a dream come true, to see the country finally at peace and to sit on a bench in a park with her daughter.

"You know, you could've had this delivered" Zarya said, stopping the wheelchair next to her and passing the coulibiac over.

"You said you wanted some fresh air" Katya laughed "Besides, one of it is for you"

"I figured, that's why I brought these" Zarya replied, pulling out a box of Kvass.

For a little while they did not speak, fully embracing this extraordinary rare moment to actually just sit in a park and eat.

"Now that the war is over, what are you going to do?" Katya asked, breaking the silence.

"I would've asked the same for you"

"Me? I'm a business woman, peace means new avenues to explore, I'm more curious what does peace mean for a soldier"

"Probably like any other soldier" Zarya said after some thought "To see what sort of future we bought with our blood"

"Then I hope we will not disappoint you"

"You better not, I may not have my legs, but I can still chase you down the street"

"Yes I believe you can" Katya laughed as Zarya flexed her arms.

Her communicator rattled loudly on the table, catching their attention. Katya pressed the button to mute it and tried to continue the conversation when it rattled again.

"Stupid thing must be broken" she said.

No sooner after she said that did the communicator come to life and an unwelcomed caller allowed herself into the call.

"I think this thing is working just fine chica" Sombra said, looking around their surroundings "Enjoying yourselves in the park I see"

Katya looked at Zarya, who nodded and quickly make her way to her daughter.

"What do you want?" she asked, wishing she had not disbanded her bodyguards.

"Is it so bad for a friend to check in?" Sombra asked in mock anger "But you're right, I do have something I need from you"

"Can't you just hack something and get it?"

"Aww common, why would I steal from a friend when I could ask nicely first?"

"What do you need?" Katya forced out, feeling absolutely sick in her stomach to comply.

"Information"

"You're the best hacker in the world and you're asking me for information?"

"You do this for me, you'll never hear from me again"

Though the words are extremely pleasing to hear, she knew that is too good to be true. Glancing over to the side, she saw that Zarya is pretending to play with the children, her eyes scanning the area for anything out of the ordinary and possible escape routes.

"And why should I trust you?" she asked Sombra, who is studying her own nails.

"I haven't released the pictures yet right? I always keep my promises"

"Fine… What kind of information?"

"First I need you to do a complete, and I mean complete, background check on this man and send it to me" she said as a photo came up "His name is Jean-Baptiste Augustin"

"That's it?"

"That's it"

"Then you will never find me or my family again?"

"Yup"

"And the pictures will never be released?"

"Maybe"

She clenched her fists in anger. This could not continue, she must do something to break out from this bondage, but for now, she must play her part and keep her satisfied until she could track her down.

"What's the second? You said you wouldn't steal from me before asking"

"I heard you have a fancy new battlesuit, I'd like to try one with a few... Minor adjustments" Sombra said, sending over some blueprints.

* * *

*Gibraltar: Overwatch*

"Can you explain to me again, how in the world did the prisoner escape?" Smith asked.

Angela and Genji did not say anything, both looking sheepish as they snuck looks at each other. They have been summoned to his office ever since Lox returned with his shuttle and was understandably confused when he was questioned, his answers traced the investigation all the way back to the Medical Bay.

"Due to… Uncontrollable conditions, I was called away" Angela answered, trying to hide her blush.

"Which leads me to ask you" he said, snapping a look at Genji "What sort of injury did you have that requires her personal attention in your quarters for three full hours?"

"It was an injury of… The heart?" he said hesitantly.

"The heart?"

"And the hips" Genji added with a hint of pride, making Angela hiccup with embarrassment as her face became beet red, which thankfully, was missed by Smith, who was too angry to notice.

"I don't care what injuries you have, you go to the Medical Bay got it? You are not entitled to special attention more than any other agent got it?!" he shouted before dismissing them.

"Athena… How did the Commander control these people?" he asked out loud.

"With great difficulty" she replied.

"Let me see that message again…"

It was a screenshot of a note that was left in print, which he admits was smart since they could trace his handwriting across the world.

_To Overwatch,_

_Thank you for taking me in, the past year has been one of the most educational and soul searching years of my life. I do apologize that I had stolen some things and hurt some of your members here, and I do not blame you for suspecting me as a spy._

_I would stay to defend myself, but I had something I needed to do and I will not return until it is done._

_Signed, Quillion Zero_

"You see? He is taunting us, we must catch him before he can regroup with whoever he is working for"

"What if he is innocent?" Athena inquired.

"Then he would've stayed" he said simply, looking through his notebook "Where's the team?"

"They have already infiltrated New York, they will reach the target objective momentarily"

"Good, at least there is some good news… Now, back to the investigation…"

As Colonel Smith and Athena searched for Quillion in Singapore, the rest of the base busied themselves by refitting all the shuttles to transport goods across the world. Torbjorn took particular pleasure to remove his armor plating from the shuttles, seeing it as a first step for his inventions to finally be made for peacetime instead of war.

Angela met up with Brigitte, who needed help to decide which countries to prioritize what little aid they could provide and which ones they should go personally to provide their expertise. Hearing this, Genji told them he would call someone to fund the operation, which they were surprised but welcomed with open arms.

Mei was in charge of the containers, using her freezing technologies to freeze the supplies locked in position in various parts of the shuttles, saving time and effort for everyone as now they are able to shift designs around rapidly without the need to bolt or cut anything.

Meanwhile, while all this was happening, Lena and the other pilots drafted new routes that they needed to take without being detected and they were the first ones to finish. Seeing that their shuttles are not ready, they decided to go to the Mess Hall to wait. All except Lena, who stayed behind to look at the map.

"You're not coming?" Lox asked, holding the door open.

"Nah, you can go luv, I'm just looking for something" she said, tracing the lines between countries, looking rather serious.

Having an idea what, or who, she is looking for, he closed the door and stood next to her.

"If I may Lieutenant, I don't think he's in Singapore" he said.

"Who?"

"Aww common, you know"

Unable to hide her smile, she dropped her façade and laughed.

"Yeah, I know, Quil had never liked to stay somewhere for too long"

"I'm guessing the blue pins are his most likely locations?" he asked, looking at what she placed on the map, the number of red pins far exceeded the blues.

"Something like that"

"And you'd think he would go to India?" he continued, looking at the blue pin closest to Singapore.

"Why not? They were allies long before he woke up, probably would try to find something there eh?"

"Strange, thought he'd make a run back to his country for sure"

"Yeah, that would be possible, but he does not want anything to do with that country anymore" she sighed, putting a red pin on what was once Malaysia "Or else he would not have made me promise to help him clear out the drug dealers there"

"You're going?" Lox asked with surprise.

"Of course, a promise is a promise"

"Then you'd look for him after that?"

"Probably, why all the questions?"

"It's just that… You know that those Harimau characters escaped jail and are suspected to have gone back into those jungles?"

"Yeah, I watch the news too"

"Won't it be dangerous that you would be fighting them in their own turf? I mean, I know we just destroyed Talon and all, but this won't be a walk in the park either"

"Don't worry about me luv, go grab something to eat, I'll join you all later"

Lox left the room with a strange sense of respect for her. Despite him just leaving so randomly and a message that did not include any names, she would still keep a promise for him, she is truly a good friend. Passing through the Mess Halls, he climbed the stairs and soon is standing outside of Colonel Smith's office.

"Ahh Lox, did you find out anything?"

"She believes he will be in India"

"Hmm… Thought he'd go back to his old country, are you sure?"

"Yes sir, however, she will be going to Malaysia to deal with the drug lords there first"

"Good" Colonel Smith sighed in relief.

"Good sir?"

"This means she will not hamper our investigations. Charter a flight to India" he said, passing a file to Lox "McCree will be waiting for your in the hangar, help him capture Quillion before she interferes"

When Lox reached his shuttle, McCree was already there waiting for him, looking rather annoyed and uncomfortable.

"'bout time... Where to pilot?" he asked with a slightly pained voice.

"Err India, you alright?"

"Yeah... Right as rain... Just had a bit too many moonshine last night"

"Can you even... Proceed with the mission?"

"Sure... Always wanted to go there for vacation..."

"Wait no, we're looking for Quillion"

"Ha! As if he'd go there..."

"What do you mean?"

"Common son, you've ran with him before, you think he'd ever consider going there?"

"But-"

"Let's just go, both of us deserve extra vacation days eh? Ever tried Indian alcohol?" he said, pulling the very confused Lox into the shuttle with him.

Back in the planning room, Lena was reading off a sheet of paper that Athena was instructed to deliver to her privately.

It is a map with a single word.

_Wait_

"What are you doing Quil..." she thought, folding it.

* * *

*America: UN Headquarters*

Everybody hurried to their departments, pushing or carrying large stacks of files with them, trying to confirm if the news were true.

"Is Russia putting up a show? Give me answers!"

"Egypt reported that the Null Sector presence there has been halted, waiting for confirmation"

"Reports from Korea just coming in"

"We are looking into Europe now, some say the Null Sector are retreating!"

On and on the shouting echoed through the halls as Gabrielle Adawe, now Secretary-General walked through, hoping to hear the answer to her question. Is the war over?

At face value, it is impossible that the Null Sector would be completely destroyed in such a short amount of time, especially after their victories across the world. Surely there will be pockets of resistance left, an army hidden somewhere in the world. For someone who had served through the First Crisis, she knew too well how brutal and cunning the misguided 'Revolution' can be.

However.

If it is true that the war is over, she could finally issue orders to demilitarize the UN. For too long they had been engrossed in war and he could barely recognize his own office anymore. War maps overflowed off her desk with books on strategies and tactics as paper weight. The walls have turned dull and grey from the recent construction of a small saferoom and even the UN Flag, once the centerpiece of the room, has been put aside to the corner for other military related equipment.

But most importantly, all supply lines that were once blocked off can be reopened, resuming all humanitarian aid to the countries that desperately need it. Finally the United Nations can resume what it was formed for.

Minutes felt like eternity and she groaned when there were no still no updates. She was about to busy herself with her daily tasks when she noticed someone was calling her on the direct line.

"Yes?"

"Secretary-General, this is Faheera Amari, aka Pharah, of the Helix Security International, I have information for you"

"Amari… Amari…" she repeated with some surprise, she had not heard that name since the First Omnic Crisis. That's when she remembered that the famed Captain Amari had a daughter who is currently serving under them.

"You are of the Egyptian Division? Why are you not reporting to your immediate superiors?"

"Because we are outside now"

"We?"

"Please look down ma'am"

Walking over to the window cautiously, she looked and saw a black bus directly in front of the building and, after using a pair of binoculars, saw a woman looking up at him.

Despite Pharah's record being spotless and having heard stories that she had performed deeds beyond the call of duty, the first thought that crossed Adawe's mind was that this could be an assassination or abduction attempt

"What is in the bus?"

"Representatives of Overwatch"

She took great care to call the most level-headed guards to follow her down to the streets, giving strict instructions not to raise any alarm or cause a scene until she orders it. As they exit the building, she is grateful that Faherra was not wearing her armor nor carrying weapons and is already walking towards them.

"That's close enough" she said, holding up her hand "I could have you all arrested right now"

"You could, but I ask that you hear us out first"

Adawe sighed. Normally they would never negotiate with terrorists, but Overwatch had, frustratingly, avoided the categorization of terrorism, rather they fall strongly under vigilantism more than anything else.

"Very well, let's hear it"

"A few days ago, we conducted a raid and destroyed Talon"

The Secretary-General could feel all eyes on her, all too shocked to formulate their own conclusions from what was just said. It was an absolutely ridiculous and unimaginable notion, they had spent years looking for them since the fall of Overwatch. Mustering all her diplomatic experience, she studied Faheera and could not detect nor come to a conclusion that she was neither crazy, dishonest, or even creative enough to make that up, and her loyalty to the Helix Security International and to the UN is undisputed.

"And evidence your?" she blurted out and winced at the tongue tying.

Waving at the bus, the door opened and the guard's hands immediately moved to their weapons when Winston's head appeared and looked around nervously.

"What's this standing around? Go!" a man shouted from inside the bus and pushed Winston out to the pavement.

Winston was clearly uncomfortable in the suit, but he straightened his tie and his glasses and stepped away for Reinhardt, who was also wearing a suit. Even out of their wargear, the guards all felt a cold sweat rolling down their backs, trying their best not to look scared at the presence of legends, regardless if they were heroes or criminals.

Going to the back of the bus, they opened the door and pulled out four large, white containers, each with a large pipe connecting into the bus.

"Mdm Secretary-General, please follow me" Faheera invited.

"What is in there?"

"Three are prisoners and a… Well, you don't have to worry about him anymore"

Seeing that Adawe was unwilling to move, she took off her jacket and, to their surprise, wiped away the 'white paint' and revealed a transparent glass underneath it.

"Is that-"

"Snow yes, please look inside"

One of the guards stepped forward and volunteered. Partially because he was unconvinced that it is safe, but this standoff is taking too long and he would like to speed up the process.

After she gave her approval, he approached it cautiously and peered in.

*10 minutes later*

Never in her wildest dreams will she ever think that she would have the world's most hunted for vigilantes sitting in her office. To be in such a small room with people of such reputation is almost suffocating, even for the guards, but after knowing what were in the freezers, they must have this discussion now.

"Explain yourselves" she asked.

"Err… _*clears throat*_ I err… When… When…" Winston mumbled, reading off a piece of paper "When Overwatch first began… No that's not right... I mean when Overwatch was first founded, I… No, we…"

Adawe stared, unable to believe that this was the Winston who defied the United Nations and initiated the Recall. She had always imagined that he was an eloquent and charismatic leader, but now he had definitely shattered that image.

"Overwatch was born during humanity's lowest point, formed by the UN as an elite strike team, which saw much success in the war. Afterwards, Overwatch played key roles to advance scientific knowledge, peacekeeping, and… And…"

Winston sighed. They already know all this, why would he repeat what they already knew?

"Madam Secretary-General... Throughout my service for this world, I saw that all of us here have amazing potential to discover new and terrible things. We have made amazing progress in science, culture and arts, but without proper guidance, we will only open ourselves to a possible Third Crisis or worse"

"How do you mean?"

"This world has seen terrible wars that tore the people apart, the world was never truly at peace. Always, somewhere, when there is bloodshed, the world stood to the side and watched. Despite having enough resources to share, countries horde it all to protect themselves rather than those in need"

"Believe me Winston, this is something I am well aware of" Adawe said, subconsciously looking down to an old file with the words 'Numbani' on it "But that has always been how things are"

"I do not believe that. None of us should believe that"

"Why?"

"Never accept the world as it appears to be, dare to see it for what it could be"

"What makes you think you have the answers to what the world could be?" Adawe inquired.

"I do not, I do not believe any of us do" Winston said carefully "However, if I may be so bold to say, Overwatch brought the world closer to peace than it ever had and I believe without it, it will mean that the world will fall back into chaos sooner than we would like"

"So that is why you are here? To ask me to legalize Overwatch?"

"Yes"

"Right… Now I know the why, but I still do not understand how do you plan to convince me of that"

"H-How do you mean?" Winston asked, taken aback.

"You showed up at my doorstep with so-called prisoners, two of which are brilliant scientists, one who served in Overwatch and Blackwatch, and finally became the Minister of Genetics in Oasis before her disappearance. The other is a dangerous man who can manipulate gravity who also disappeared from his holding facility. And finally one is a headless man and even a little girl. What do you think this looks like for me?"

"Well if you put it like that, I'd say it makes us look like the criminals!" Reinhardt said suddenly, leaning against the wall and accidentally knocking over a painting.

"Shush!" Faheera snarled.

"What? She asked a good question!"

The three fell into arguing with one another and Adawe had to sit back, unable to believe that the people in front of her is Overwatch. Seeing how they bicker like children, she decided that Overwatch must never be legalized, at least not under this sort of leadership.

And she is angry. Angry that she is even entertaining criminals in her office. Angry that not only they brought missing individuals that could be innocent, they could possibly be lying through their teeth to try to legalize a crime syndicate.

However, she could not tell them outright, she would need to navigate the discussion to a way she could persecute them right now.

"You know, there is one thing that would convince me" she said loudly, calming the situation "You have not brought me a prominent figure from Talon"

"What? We brought Doomfist!"

"It will take weeks to confirm if it was him, but if you brought me the most dangerous man in Talon, you must have fought Reaper? Why haven't you brought him?"

They all looked at one another for a good minute before Winston found the words.

"He escaped…"

"Escaped?"

"But Jack has gone after him so we should hear from them soon"

"Jack? Jack Morrison?" Adawe repeated and stood up in anger "Jack Morrison is dead! Now I know you are wasting my time! This meeting is over!"

"I don't think so" a gruff voice growled from the door.

When they saw who was at the door, all the guards pulled out their guns and one pushed Adawe to the ground.

"Lower your weapons, you don't want this fight" Morrison said, walking in with such confidence that the guards complied and backed away.

"Jack! How did you get here?" Winston exclaimed.

"I hitched a ride"

"I should've known that all of you are in league with Soldier 76!" Adawe shouted.

"It is good to see you too Gabrielle, I trust you have been well" he said, taking off his mask "How long has it been?"

"Impossible! You can't be Jack Morrison! This must be a trick!"

"Hold that thought" he said, sitting down on a chair and tilted his head, deliberately showing that he is speaking into a microphone "Bring him in"

If the day could not be any more intense, it became downright torture when they saw the next person who came in. Even with handcuffs, ropes, and a gun behind his back, everyone, even members of Overwatch, stiffen up as Reaper is forced in by a woman in a black mask.

"Reaper!" Adawe squeaked.

"Hello Gabrielle, how've you been?" he asked snarky before being kicked behind the knees, forcing him to kneel in the middle of the room.

"H-How did you know my name?"

"How could you forget the one you hired to be in charge of Overwatch?" he continued, ignoring the barrel of the rifle against his head.

"Since when was the Bastet working for you?" Faheera interjected, eyeing the woman with great interest "She's a legend in Egypt!"

"Tell her everything Reyes" Morrison continued, ignoring the question "Tell her what happened to your terrorist organization"

"Jack, are you sure you want to bring him here?" Winston warned, looking around the small room.

"I broke all his fingers, he could not squeeze the lemon even if he wanted to"

"R-Reyes? You don't mean Gabriel Reyes?" Adawe asked, feeling faint.

"Tell her"

Reaper did not say anything, instead he took his time looking around the room and carefully studying the people around him, the Bastet took care to stand in front of Faheera as he did so.

"I like what you've done with the place" he finally said "Looks like the UN finally grown a pair"

"Keep delaying and I'll rip that mask off your face" Morrison growled.

Though they could not see his face, they could tell he is scowling behind the mask. Slowly, Reaper recounted the events that happened, filling in the gaps in Faheera's story. Everyone listened in silence and he surprised everyone, even Morrison, how accurate the details are.

"Now that you know my story… I must know this" he demanded, staring at Adawe "Why did you assign Morrison to replace me?"

"I…"

"Why?!" Reaper shouted and made a move to stand, but was forced back down by the Bastet.

"B-Because of you" she managed out, compelled to reply under his gaze.

"Excuse me?"

"You-You were ideal to lead us in a Crisis, but Morrison is the better man to rebuild the world"

A loud bang exploded in the room and Ana's head whipped to the side, shattered mask and blood splattered the walls. With a grunt, Reaper broke free from his bonds and stood to his full height, his shotguns fully formed. He was still too weak to initiate Death Blossom nor could he handle his weapons properly, but he would be damned if he does not at least make an attempt to take a shot at Adawe.

The guards opened fire and though the bullets bounced off his armor, it shook his aim. A blast from the left shotgun blew a large hole in the wall and the right obliterated the desk. Growling, he adjusted his aim and had Adawe in his sights when Reinhardt smashed him aside using the UN Flagpole, sending him crashing through the walls, knocking him out.

"M-Mom? No NO! NO MOM NO!" Faheera screeched, cradling her unmoving body.

"Get a medic in here!" Morrison shouted.

* * *

For the lore masters who could be reading this fanfic (and I'd be very honored to have you here :D), I know that Gabrielle Adawe is a character who is officially deceased in the lore but I thought it would be an interesting thing to have her around during this period of time.

Plus I don't know how to create names and for the position that she needs to hold in this story so I opted to use a name that Blizzard gave instead of creating my own.


	73. Chp 72 - The End (Part 2)

Hello everyone,

Admittedly this was supposed to be the last chapter to this story but it was getting too long so I suppose it will be done next week. It has been a lot of fun writing this Fanfic and I am glad to see that I am near completion for this piece of literature.

I am also quite happy to see that people have gave this Fanfic a chance and were entertained by it.

Most likely after this, I will be going back to Chapter 1 and will be editing everything all the way up to the end cause since I do not have a Beta Reader, I am sure that there are a lot of cringey or annoying mistakes that is littered throughout the chapters, to which I apologize for.

Until then, I hope everyone will stay healthy and safe. Have a great day :D

* * *

*Three months later*

"Ughh… I've never liked suits"

"Cheer up luv! At least your bounty's paid off!"

"Stop moving… Why must you bring this along?"

"It would be a shameful display without it, especially if my brother is watching"

"Alright… How do I look?"

"We told you not to eat from the jar! Look at this mess! Why didn't you get the bananas I brought you?"

"Oh no!"

"Watch where'ya stepping ya big oaf!"

"Papa please be quiet…"

"Oh sorry, it's just so hard to see you when you're so far down there"

"Is anyone else cold? Can I at least wear my mittens?"

The door swung open and everyone stopped talking when they saw it was Jack, who looked like he came out of a movie set. No longer needing to hide behind the visor or his iconic 76 Jacket, he is now wearing a standard military uniform that has been ironed to perfection and a chest full of medals to boot.

He did not say anything, he didn't need to, his face said it all. He is looking at them with absolute pride and happiness, knowing how hard it was for them to persevere through their own trials and to see them here today… He could not be prouder of his comrades than he was now.

"Let me just say, I am-" he began but McCree cut him off by throwing an arm over his shoulder..

"Aww shucks boss, you don't need to say it, we're mighty proud of you too aren't we?"

In response they all pulled him in for a group hug, something that is still alien to him but he accepted it regardless. They were like this for a moment when the door opened again and the organizer paused for a moment when he saw what they were doing.

"Err… We will be on in 15 minutes, so if you would please follow me…"

Straightening their suits, they followed him and smiled at the many staff who volunteered to be here today, eager to be the first to see them before the rest of the world.

"Oh there is a bit of a delay, we will be on in 20 minutes"

"Common that's like the 3rd time today!" Torbjorn complained.

With time to spare, they accepted requests for selfies with everyone, despite the attendant's attempts to dissuade them.

The worst part however is the mess that they are making. Only the scientists and the cowboy took care not to damage their surroundings (yes even the gorilla!), but the others… Cracks formed in the walls as Reinhardt lifted a sofa over his head enthusiastically, once perfectly angled pictures became tilted as Genji demonstrated his climbing skills, and all items are now misplaced after Lena used them as props for her pictures before 'returning' them.

"Sir! Please stop them!" he begged Morrison, who was also accepting requests for a picture.

"Leave them alone boy, they've been through enough" he said.

"But-"

"You heard him, leave them alone" a voice called behind him, making him jump.

"S-Secretary General!"

Adawe nodded before walking past him and toward the veteran who waved goodbye to the women, who backed away and checked their pictures.

"Gabrielle"

"Gabriel" she replied, smiling at this old exchange they used to have when they were younger.

"How was the speech?"

"Good, we just need to wait for the Q&A session to be over before your turn"

"Right… What do you want to ask me? You didn't come all the way here just to say hello"

"I would like to know if you have an answer for me"

Morrison was silent for a minute and looked at the rest, who were trying to climb onto the sofa Reinhardt was carrying to take a group photo, even smiling slightly to see him straining under their weight.

"As long as "they" will never see the light of day, the answer is yes"

"Fantastic! When do you think you can start?"

"I will begin next Monday"

"Thank you Jack, the United Nations will be happy to have you" she said, shaking his hand.

"Remember, I will only train for peacekeeping, not war"

"I do not plan to have it any other way"

"And if I hear a whiff that Reyes or the others being released…"

"I swear that as long as I live, they will never leave their prison" Adawe said sincerely.

"Common Jack! You're needed up here!" Lena shouted from the sofa.

"Lena! You can't tell the Commander what to do!" Brigitte snapped but before they knew it, Morrison had already climbed up and sat next to Winston.

"Best orders I've had in a long time" he chuckled "Hold it steady Reinhardt!"

"Easy… For you… To say…" the Crusader grunted, his muscles almost tearing his suit.

A soft ringing sounded and the organizer, now looking desperate, ran in front of them, looking more stressed than Reinhardt.

"It's time! You need to get off him now!"

"Get outta the way! You're in the shot!" Lena shouted.

The camera flashed and after everyone jumped off him, Reinhardt threw the sofa to the ground and, to the organizer's dismay, one of the legs snapped.

"That sofa is at least 150 years old!" he shouted.

"Oh… It was already broken when I picked it up"

"Don't worry about it! I'll patch it up later" Torbjorn added.

They walked to their designated spots and looked at each other excitedly, unable to believe that this was actually happening.

"Curtains opening in 5...4...3...2...1…"

They watched in awe as hundreds of people stood up and welcomed them with an applause. World Leaders, waiters and waitresses, security guards, translators, all stood up and cheered for the return of heroes and Overwatch.

* * *

*New York City*

"Phew… Glad that's over" Mei sighed.

"What are you on about? That was the most fun we've had in a while!" Lena said, inspecting her new shiny medal around her neck.

"Maybe for you! I was so nervous… With all the cameras, lights, I just want to be back in the lab"

They have just exited the UN Headquarters and are now making their way back to their hotel in a large armored bus, specifically provided by the President.

"We can't go back yet! We have to celebrate!"

"Yes! We must drink to our heart's content!" Reinhardt shouted.

"Can we not?"

"Do not worry Mei, it will be fun" Angela encouraged, checking her reflection with a mirror.

"I have already told you Angela, you look beautiful"

"Real smooth there buddy" McCree said, patting Genji in the shoulder while everyone laughed at Angela, who hid her crimson face.

"I was merely telling the truth" he said innocently.

Lena beamed at everyone, oh how she missed these moments where there is no longer a need to look over their shoulders, a time where they could truly sit back and laugh without any fear of an attack or retaliation.

In a moment, their Omnic driver searched and found the most appropriate bar that suited all of their requests within the area that they are cleared to visit. After some turns, they found themselves outside a bar that was already full of people.

"Oh bollocks, looks like we need to find another place" Lena sighed, but just as the bus was about to move again, people started calling out for them.

"Tracer? Is that Tracer?!"

"I think I see Winston!"

"Papa I want to see Torbjorn!" a girl cried out, whose father propped her up to his shoulders.

"I still can't see him!"

"Aww sorry darling, he's too short" he replied loudly.

At those words, the doors flung open, almost knocking the man down, revealing a very angry Torbjorn, causing the bus to screech to a halt.

"You wanna say that to my face?!" he shouted.

"Papa! It's Torbjorn!"

The gathering crowd cheered louder as the other members came out to drag him back.

"Whoa, Rieinhardt's bigger than I thought!"

"Is that Mercy? She really is an angel!"

"Alright, you had your fun, let's go" Reinhardt laughed.

"Wait a minute, I have an idea!" Lena said brightly, Blinking out onto a mailbox "Godday everyone! How's everyone doing?!"

The crowd went wild as she did some simple acrobatics which puzzled the others. It didn't matter however, as everyone else was amazed at her abilities.

"Phew… All this exercise is building up a thirst! Mind if me and me mates go in and have a drink?" she shouted.

Immediately the tables cleared themselves, some even dusting the chairs and tables before presenting the seats for them.

"Le- I mean - Tracer! You can't just-" Brigitte began but Reinhardt held out his hand.

"Thank you my friends! You have done us all a great service! Everyone is welcomed to hear our tales!" he boomed, earning an applause as they pushed past them and took their seats.

*A few hours later*

It was dark when they were done with their adhoc celebration and after toasting to the thousandth thing of whatever they could think of, they have drained the bar completely. Telling the bartender to charge the bill to the White House, they left the poor man with a bar full of snoring customers as they hurried back to the bus.

"Phew… That was ffffuuuunnnn" Lena yawned, almost tripping when she missed a step.

"Get over here ya big oaf" Torbjorn groaned, throwing a passed out Reinhardt ungracefully onto the floor, rocking the bus.

"Torb… I told you not to throw him…" Angela managed out, leaning onto Genji, who is helping her to her seat.

"Hehehehe… 'Torb'…" Reinhardt muttered before snoring.

"Are you alright Angela?" Genji asked.

"I told you... I am not dunk… I 'ly had a sip"

"I now understand why you only drink coffee" he said as he set her down.

Once everyone is secured in their seats, the driver took them back to their hotel, carefully slipping past a group of exhausted news reporters standing at the entrance, rounding to the back, where the hotel staff should be waiting for them. Thankfully they are and were quick to pull the heroes into the premises without being seen.

"Lena… I'm sssooo sorry…" Angela said suddenly, tears forming in her eyes.

"'bout what luv?"

"That I couldn't sssave Emily... She could've seeeen you for what you become today…"

"Angela!" Brigitte scolded as Lena's smile faded slightly.

"Yeah… She would've been proud of all of us" she replied sadly but Angela has already fallen asleep.

The rest of the ride was quiet as everyone was either too tired to talk or sleeping, most of them missing the sights, only waking up when they reached their hotel, to which they had to take the back door to avoid the exhausted reporters who had been standing there since the ceremony.

Back in her room, Lena slipped out of her clothes and took a much needed shower, washing away the smell of alcohol and with it, its effects. Changing into her pajamas, she tried to get some sleep but Angela's words rang in her mind.

It has been 3 months since that night and she barely had time to think about it. Ever since the destruction of Talon they had not only provided food and aid to various countries in rapid succession, they had to respond to some extremists in various countries that tried to continue the war, putting it down before it even had time to breathe.

That aside, she took upon herself so much work that she felt crushed by it, forcing a purposeless purpose as her focus. However, now that they have been legitimized and that the UN will take over most of the humanitarian efforts, she is now left with a world where her combative and piloting skills are not as needed as before.

In short, there is nothing left to distract her from her memories, as much as she tried to fight it off.

"What should I do now? Go home? But without her there is no home. What is a home without the people you love in it?"

As her thoughts grew louder, the room became smaller and soon she began suffocating. Quickly grabbing her harness, she Blinked up to the roof, breathing in the fresh air. She looked down at the busy city of New York and was dazzled by the lights that are far brighter than the ones in London.

They have saved the world again, but this time she is not here to celebrate with her. They could have been married by now… No one in the world needs her now, so is there any point of living?

"Greetings Lena, here to enjoy the view?" Genji called out.

She looked around and saw that he was sitting close to the edge, cleaning his blade.

"Not exactly, just felt like coming out" she said, herself stepping away from the edge.

"Mhmm…" was all he replied, turning his attention back to his blade

Him being out here is no accident, he knows her too well to be sitting up here just to clean his katana, which didn't take long.

"Are you going to begin the conversation or shall I?" he asked, sheathing the blade.

"I don't even know what the topic's about"

"How is your spirit and your mind?"

"If you're asking how am I, I'm doing fine"

"Are you sure?"

She snapped him an uncomfortable look before returning her gaze to a man walking his dog below them. The problem with having Genji as a regular sparring partner is that he will always try to study and understand them just as he would with his enemies, as was his habit to deal with all types of opponents that he may come across in the field.

"No" she admitted.

"Why is that?"

"I don't know… I've always thought when you help others, regardless how hard it is, will be a fulfilling experience…"

"But?"

"That was before I lost everything… We won the war and the world is at peace again, but… Everything is so…"

"Hollow"

She nodded, hanging her head.

"It is the same of how I felt when I put on this body, though I have complete, or even better control of my body, replacements will never replace what was lost, all this because I no longer want to be associated with my clan"

"What was the lesson you learnt from that?" she asked, remembering Angela's words from the Medical Ward.

"Sometimes after you receive what you desire, you will be faced with a decision that will set the next stage of your life"

"Like what? What stage would you have taken if you never met Zenyatta?"

"Who knows? Would I have joined Talon? Committed sepukku? Killed the person who saved me?"

Lena flinched at his words. Did Genji just admit that he might've killed Angie if he had not made peace with his body?

"However, I chose to give this body a chance, even though it is missing many vital parts that could never be recovered, I have accepted my reality"

"Don't you miss them though? Or remember the pain? How about imagining the things you could've done if you've never lost them?"

"Everyday. But remembering and imagining is not the same as being haunted"

To her this seems like it is all contradictory, foolish even, none of this makes any sense, all her memories and imaginations are always haunting and painful.

"Time will heal, scars remain, pain remains, but it's the path you take next that will determine how you will see the future"

"I still don't understand"

"Neither did I until I chose a path"

Before they could say anymore, her communicator rang. Puzzled, she accepted the message and felt her eyes brighten when she saw whom it must be from.

"About time he told you where he is" Genji said, chuckling at her reaction.

"Oh shut it" she said.

It was an anonymous message that contained only a single word.

_Come_

* * *

*Somewhere in Malaysia*

"I still don't understand why this was such a rush" Lox yawned when he landed the shuttle.

"Sorry luv, but an emergency is an emergency" Lena said, securing her harness.

"Well, still better than that time I had to work with McCree… You know he-"

"Yes we know all about the arranged marriage he tricked you into, pity, she looked like a nice girl"

"I didn't marry her! I'm already married!"

"Yeah yeah… I'll call you when I'm done yeah? See ya!" she said, giving a two-finger salute before Blinking out.

"I was drunk!" he yelled before angrily pulling out of the jungle.

Spraying herself with another layer of insect repellent, she held up the map and continued to make her way to the marker, which is deeper into the jungle. However, there is already an obvious trail that seemed to have been made recently that the map isn't even necessary. Pushing past some trees, she was met with a familiar sight.

What was once an abandoned shopping mall is now in ruins, her only reference to recognizing it was a statue that survived the collapse. She could not help but to feel a slight tinge of sadness to see it burned down like this, what could've been a piece of history is now destroyed.

Looking down at the map, she continued her way, surprised to see that this was not the marker. As she walked, she couldn't help but to appreciate the rich nature she is walking through.

So accustomed is she to live in a mechanically driven society that a peaceful jungle is almost alien to her. Instead of engines, bells, crank of metals or people, she could hear her own footsteps crunching through leaves and twigs, accompanied by the ceaseless, almost choir-like chirps, tweets, and wildlife coming from all sides.

A few hundred meters later, a new sound crept in and steadily became louder, she wondered what it was until she realized it was the sound that she had only heard from in the holo-records. The sound of rushing water.

"River?" she thought.

Following the source of the noise, she stumbled into a beautiful sight.

It was a waterfall, about 15 meters high and 30 meters wide, the water was split in two different directions and poured into the same river below. Looking down, she was amazed to see that the water is actually falling onto a solid layer of rock, which actually formed what she would call a 'baby waterfall' to the river about a meter below it.

Poking out at the mouth of the waterfall is a log, and on that log sat a man who must be listening to that stupid song, as his head is bobbing slightly. He also has his sketchbook out and is focused on sketching the sights below him so he had not seen her, which should make it easy for her to sneak up on him.

She was about to Blink up when she realized a strange uneasiness brewing within her. The last real talk they had was the night before he left Overwatch and when she was trapped in the Time Chamber. Remembering his exhausted face and the bleak view he has for his future, she doesn't know how or what to talk to him about.

Unable to think of anything, she decided to just wing it.

Blinking up, she snuck up behind him and saw that his right ear is free.

"Psst… Wha'cha listening to?"

"About time you showed up" Quillion said.

"At least pretend you were scared!" she complained, relieved that his tone is cheerful.

He looked different from before. More… Rugged? Tired? But she could tell he is happier. Much happier. No longer is he a person haunted by the past, or one that is driven by some hidden agenda of revenge. He is finally a liberated soul.

"I suppose the mission was a success?"

He smiled happily and pulled out his sketchbook, flipping through pages of dates and locations that were all crossed out, he pointed to what she assumed was what sealed the deal.

"The last of the so called 'Agong''s Tigers and their operations, destroyed right here" he said triumphantly "The country is finally free"

"Was it hard?"

"Yes" he admitted "Even with all my training and experience, they were actually very hard to root out"

"Why?"

"Apparently he did not become the biggest drug lord in the world by accident"

"Huh… He didn't seem like the type" Lena said.

With that, they said no more, merely sitting on the log and enjoying the sounds and sights of the waterfall, watching the clear waters gliding by them, both glad that they could enjoy the moment here in this place.

However, they both knew that soon, they would need to talk about it, especially after he had completed his mission.

"I feel that you should know what we are all feeling… You know, just so you can understand" she said, breaking the silence.

"There's no need, I understand"

"You sure? I don't wanna wake up and see running out on us again"

"Nah, I'm tired of deserting"

"I know some might cry if you do it again! We're not good with saying goodbyes…"

"Don't worry, I'm not lying, I'm tired of hurting you all"

They looked at each other seriously… Before they dropped the facade and laughed.

"That was pretty good!" he said.

"That's because you always listen to it!"

Just then a huge flock of swiftlets flew up towards the sky. The sun was setting and it was time for them to return to the caves.

"Wow, look at them" Lena said, watching the flock.

"Yeah… Must be a gold mine now in those caves"

"Oh? Why?"

"Wait… Don't move…"

Lena froze. What did he see? A snake? Something creepy crawling through her hair? He should know that even if it is poisonous, she could just Recall back before she was bitten and be fine, but she complied out of curiosity.

"You don't get a perfect scenario like this often" he said, pulling out his sketchbook and started sketching.

"Hey! Who said you can do a sketch of me?"

"It'll only take a second…"

A few minutes passed and she watched as his hand became a blur and a picture materializing on the page. It is rare to see him so focused outside of battle and it was entrancing to see someone so passionate into his work.

"And… Done…" he said, handing the sketch over to her for a review.

She looked, and looked… And looked, seemingly unable to take her eyes off the page. It was admittedly not a good sketch of her, some parts seem off, as if he was sketching someone totally different, but it was close enough. Then for some reason, tears fell onto the page.

"Oh sorry!" she cried, trying to rub off the tears.

"Hey hey, it's okay" he said reassuringly.

"I'm sorry… I just… I just realized I forgot what I looked like and to see myself again like this is…"

He watched numbly as her tears continued to flow, not knowing what to do. He vaguely remembered reading something that during these times he should just allow the person to cry and not do anything until she fully expressed her feelings. However he also remembered that there was an article which encourages the listener to provide a comforting arm to share the grief with the person. But should he? Shouldn't he?

Gulping, he placed a hand over her shoulder and felt her whole body stiffen up.

"What are you doing?"

"I… Err..." he stuttered. Her tone wasn't anger or disgust, but he did not want to risk misreading her so he quickly let go.

"I'm sorry luv, I mean… You're a great guy and all but… I don't swing that way"

"Well, I suppose a man's gotta try" he laughed sadly.

An uncomfortable silence stretched between them until she changed the subject.

"Anyway… What's next for you? The war being over and all"

"I don't know, maybe I'll visit Australia, I heard the people there are pretty nice"

Lena stared for a moment before bursting out in laughter.

"What's so funny?"

"Oh luv! You have no idea do you?" she gasped before laughing even harder.

"What? They are nice! Besides, if not that I'll just have some of their Apple Strudel"

"Apple Strudel! In Australia!" Lena repeated, laughing harder than ever, a hand over her nose to stop snorting.

He had no idea what he said that was so funny, but he didn't care, seeing that he can make her laugh this much is comforting.

"I hate it when I laugh that hard, so embarrassing"

"I thought it was cute" he said.

He froze as she snapped him a look.

"I did not just say that"

"I think you just called me cute"

"No I didn't" he said, quickly opening a bottle of water.

"Ya know, if you want to make a move on a girl, you gotta be more confident than that" she said, eyeing him for a moment before adding "Trust me I'd know"

She laughed when he choked on his drink, sputtering it to the rushing water below.

"That was on purpose…" he coughed.

"Ever get that feeling of deja vu?"

Walking down to the base of the waterfall, he introduced her to something he personally called a "Waterfall Massage", where they simply lie down on their stomach and let the water fall on their backs. After that, they sat under the 'baby waterfall' and talked until the moon was halfway into the sky.

He was dismayed when he heard about the current state of Australia and was excited to hear about the reinstatement of Overwatch and how they are now recognized as heroes once again.

After they changed into their spare clothing, Quillion reached into his bag and pulled out various jars, dog tags attached to three of them and the others with flowers. He began placing them onto boulders, the one with dogtags facing the waterfall and the others, he carefully placed them in the corner where the beam of the moonlight shines on, also facing the waterfall.

"Are those...?"

"Ahmad, Hazir, and Oliver" he said, pointing to the ones with the dogtags before to the ones with the flowers "My parents, her parents, and... Her"

"Her?"

"Someone who was dear to me"

"Oh… What was her name?"

He didn't answer, merely smiling when the jars were set up to his satisfaction. To be buried in such a beautiful place… He could not think of a better site.

"It does not matter, they are at rest now" he said, washing his hands in the water "She died protecting them"

"How do you mean?"

"I found them in an old police station… She took care of her family and mine when I couldn't..."

Lena stood there at complete loss for words, what can someone say in response to something like that? He saw she was struggling for words and he gave her an assuring smile and a shrug.

"She did all she could, no one could ever ask for more than that" he said.

Finally, he stood up straight and saluted, an action that prompted Lena to do the same.

"I have no words, only a hope of a future that will make all of you proud" he said to the jars, knowing that they are listening, somehow.

The words hit Lena hard and she looked at him with a sense of confusion & admiration.

When she first picked him up, he was lost, confused, and lived only to fulfill a promise to avenge everything he has lost. In the process, he was beaten down, broke more bones than she dared to count, and failed to secure any meaningful victories that had sent him down a spiral of despair.

Yet somehow, somewhere in that pit, he was able to see a hope that she desperately wishes to see, a courage to say to oneself "Things will be better".

"How come Genji and Quil can see it?" she pondered.

"Well, I suppose that's it, time to go" Quillion said, grabbing his bag.

"Where to?"

"Not sure, there's plenty of countries where I haven't been"

"What? Aren't you going to stay behind? Guide your people to recovery or something?"

"Nah, my ideas are all outdated, I already wrote a letter to the UN and might as well leave them to do the heavy lifting"

"You're that confident in them?"

"Hmm… I suppose if they do something I don't like, I'll just go over and give them a spanking" he laughed.

"Quil… I need you to do me a favor" she asked, unable to let this opportunity slip by, trying her best not to sound like she was begging.

He stopped to think. The last time she asked for a favor it shattered him, but… Since Australia is now out of the picture, he does not have anything else to do now, pus, he had done everything he could for Malaysia, now it is time to explore this world to see where his skills can be of use, so might as well have some instructions.

"Let's hear it"

"I'm assigned to take care of someone, but I realize I need to go look for something"

"You're turning down an assignment? That's new... What are you looking for?"

"I don't know… I just need to look for the future ya know? Something that I can focus on"

"Err… That sounds like it would take a while" he said.

"Please?"

He looked down at her eyes and saw that this was something that she needed. As much as he tells himself that she should no longer be a distraction for him… He can't help but to still feel that tinge of attraction for her.

"Fine… Guess a little babysitting wouldn't hurt" he sighed.

"Thank you! You're a great friend!" she said, hugging him before calling Lox "Plan a route to Paris"

"Wait wait wait, Paris?" Quillion asked.

* * *

*Canada*

Throwing a fishing line, Sam sat back and watched the wild beaver that has been chomping on the same tree for the past three years, impressed that it has gnawed the thick trunk to almost the width of bottled water.

Before he called the authorities to catch him because it was pretty sad that it is out here all alone but each attempt to catch it has failed, and as time went by, it was out of a commonality that he decided to stop calling on the beaver, leaving it to finish its project on the tree.

"Another day alone eh Chuck?" he called out, to which the beaver ignored.

His communicator rang and his hand flew towards it and read the notifications, only to toss it aside when he saw it was another news story about Overwatch's reinstatement.

"Where is she?" he thought.

Faheera has never missed a Christmas dinner with him, she had always made it her top priority and had followed it religiously, but ever since her mission in Russia, he had not heard anything from her or the UN. He spent many sleepless nights thinking about it, refusing to accept that she might have been hurt in any way.

The worst of it all was how useless he felt. He was a man who is naturally driven to fix things, so much so that he was the typecast handyman in the small community he lives in. Ever since the passing of the love of his life, he was absolutely focused to maintain the relationship with his daughter, to continue the familia ties that still remained.

Despite his efforts however, he could not talk her out of joining the Helix Security International and just when he starts to accept the fact that she would be safe, this happens. He could never forgive himself if something did happen to her...

Just then he heard a loud crack and a screech. Looking over to the shore, he saw that the tree had finally toppled, but there was no sign of the beaver.

"Chuck!" he yelled, turning his boat and sped towards the tree, where he could hear it crying in the branches.

"Hang in there buddy!"

Grabbing the trunk, he tried to lift it but it was too heavy. Panicking, he ran back towards the boat and grabbed the rope, to which he quickly tied it to the tree, his fear rising when he could no longer hear Chuck.

"What are you doing?" someone asked.

"A beaver is stuck there! Help me push this thing!"

"You mean that beaver?"

Looking to where Ana was pointing, he saw that Chuck had already jumped back into the water and was swimming away. First a wave of relief washed through him, then realization.

"Ana?"

"Hello Sam" she said nervously.

"No… This is a dream" he said, backing off slowly.

"Sam, just breath"

Before him was his wife, even though she now wears an eyepatch and a thick bandage over the side of her face, he knows this was his wife. He didn't know what to do except to grab his fishing rod out from the boat, pointing the tip to her like a spear.

"Dad, just calm down"

He almost stumbled when Faheera walked into view, having just locked the car.

"Era? Is that you? What's the meaning of this?"

"I know this is a lot to take in, but I swear we will explain everything when we get home" she said gently, kneeling down next to him.

* * *

Hello again,

Just want to add, I feel that I must show a visual for the waterfall that I was describing, so I changed the Cover Image to it, but if it is too small I uploaded a 10 second video during my visit there so if you type this in Youtube's search engine, you should see it "Klimau Waterfall, Sarawak, Malaysia Adventures of Quillion" Channel name: CJH


	74. Chp 73 - The End

Welcome to the final chapter of Adventures of Quillion (Overwatch)!

I must admit, I did not expect to finish this one, especially since this was my very first Fanfic and posting once a week for 70% of the time was quite a fun challenge.

Thank you very much for your kind words in the review and for giving this Fanfic a chance, the rest of my note will be in the bottom so… Enjoy :)

* * *

*France: Outskirts of Paris*

Lena led the way while Quillion tightened his jacket to block the cold winds, still unused to the cold especially after spending months in a summer-like and humid climate.

They have landed a little distance away from Paris and had to go on foot to a train station about half an hour away. Lena was wearing a hoodie and a cap to hide her hair and most of her face while Quillion just wore a bundle of jackets and holding onto a cup of coffee he just brewed in the shuttle.

"You know… I'd thought it'll be warmer in April" he said through chattering teeth.

"Apparently winter decided to stay a little bit longer this year" she said.

When they finally reached the station, he was puzzled when she bought tickets to a destination away from the city, going down the South-East direction.

"You know when you say Paris, I thought we'd be in Paris" he said, grateful they are finally in the warmth of the train.

"Lox didn't know I relocated the asset, but we're not going far so don't worry about it"

"That's true but…" he said, looking at the train line above him "I'm sure landing a little bit closer wouldn't hurt"

"The town's too small and there's a lot of people, it'll attract unwanted attention"

Shrugging, he sipped his coffee and looked around at the happy families in the train. The atmosphere is definitely different from when he took the train in England. Instead of people staring grimly at the news, they are looking outside the windows, instead of train music, he could hear families, especially children, laughing across the carriage.

"Is it the same back in England?" he asked Lena, who was also looking out the windows.

"I don't know but from what Athena told me, yes"

"Right… So this person you're watching over, what should I know about him?"

"She can make a mean Apple Strudel"

"Oh it's a she? Ok, Apple Strudel sounds good"

He sighed in relief. For a wild moment he thought she was taking him to take care of that Widowmaker because she is the only French person that he had come across with any sort of relations to Overwatch, but from this description, there is no way it would be her. She wouldn't be baking anything.

They passed a few towns and he was impressed to see that each of them were having their own carnivals and celebrations. He was even more surprised when Lena got off at the most extravagant town, where most of the riders also got off.

"Well, looks like this person knows how to party" he said happily as people pushed drinks into his hands.

"Err… I wouldn't say that" Lena said, pushing past the crowd.

It soon becomes apparent that they are moving away from everyone and, after halfway eating through a free hotdog, she is going up to what looks like a graveyard.

"Hey now, I don't plan to die today, especially not in the cold" he commented.

"Aww common, I'm not that nasty" she laughed and pointed to the only tree in the area "She's waiting over there"

Looking over carefully, he noticed that there is a lone person standing there, looking down at what must be a grave.

"Amateur, but might as well be in an obscure place" he thought, adjusting his ear muffs and hoping that they could go somewhere warmer quickly.

"Heya!" Lena greeted, causing the woman to jump and turned around.

"Oh you gotta be kidding me" he said saw who it was, subconsciously reaching for the pistol, stopping when he realized something strange.

Gone is the fearless assassin in the skintight suit, she now feels and looks like a totally different woman. Dressed in a thick coat, she looked smaller than how he remembered her, especially when her posture is slightly hunched over, seemingly out of fear.

Her skin was still blue though.

"I thought you were coming alone?" Amelie asked Lena.

"Slight change of plans luv, after some thought, I've decided that Quil here will be your guard"

"What?" they both asked in unison.

"Trust me, you won't find a better guard than him!"

"May I talk to you for a minute?" Quillion said, dragging Lena to the side.

"H-Hey!"

"You do realize who she is right?" he whispered angrily.

"She's my friend"

"She's an assassin! She does not need a guard, she needs containment!"

"Look, she needs help to adjust back to normal life and 'containment' is not the place to do it" Lena said firmly.

"Then shouldn't Overwatch be the one looking after her?"

"We are"

He paused and expected her to continue and when she didn't, he realized what she meant.

"I didn't say I'm rejoining Overwatch"

"You did, you said you'll return after you finish your business in Malaysia, since you're finished and I outrank you, you are obligated to follow my order, besides- " she paused and looked behind at Amelie, who had returned her attention to the grave "- I can't think of anyone else who will be able to stop her if she snaps"

She pulled out a copy of the letter he left months and he saw that was indeed what he wrote. Why would he write that?

"Regardless, she shouldn't be walking around like this"

"But if you're with her it'll be fine right? Okay bye!" Lena said, Blinking away before he could say anything.

Stunned, he weighed his options. He could easily just walk away right now but his conscience would not let him. He could not just leave someone so dangerous to roam around freely as long as he could help it, especially if innocent people are celebrating nearby.

"I could arrest her" he thought, but without actually seeing her committing a crime, he had to stay his hand.

"You can go, I don't need someone to watch over me" she said softly.

"Trust me, there's nothing I'd like more than to get out of the cold" he said, leaning against the tree to shield himself from the wind.

"And?"

"What man would leave a woman to stand out in the cold all alone?" he said, crossing his arms.

"That wasn't what you two said" she said, pulling a rose from her jacket and replacing a withered rose on the ground.

"Fine, leaving an Assassin out here without a leash is too dangerous for me to ignore" he said casually.

Soon after he said those words, he could hear someone crying, which is odd because he was sure they were alone, the strangest part is that it seemed to be coming from Widowmaker. Looking around the corner, he felt his jaw drop when he saw it was her who was crying.

"Oi… This ain't the time to be acting alright?" he said quickly, his lips numb "I mean, we've worked with each other before so-"

"It's not fair!" she sobbed, wiping away the cold tears "They took him away from me! They even took myself away from me!"

Falling to her knees, she began hitting the ground with her fists, her cries drowned away by the celebrating crowd, leaving only Quillion to hear it all.

"The worst part is that I enjoyed it… I remember that I enjoyed it… I… I…"

He tried not to feel pity, to convince himself this had to be a trick. She was Talon's best Assassin after all and could be putting up a show to lower his guard, but after months of killing drug dealers, he was accustomed to lies and deception… This does not feel like either.

"Mr Quil?" she suddenly asked.

"Y… Yes?"

Without warning, she pounced on him, stunning him with a knock to his chin, dropping him to his knee. Dazed, he was able to push her away from him and when he reached for his pistol, it was gone.

"Je suis tellement desole"

He looked up and saw his pistol under her chin, her finger already squeezing the trigger.

Fireworks from the carnival exploded, the gunshot melded into it so it did not cause any panic. With a firm hold on her hand, he waited until the effects of the Battle Rage to dissipate before speaking.

"Don't, and I repeat, don't you ever do that again" he said angrily, prying the pistol away from her hand.

"Why? Why can't you just let me?" she said, breaking down again as she pounded his chest.

"Are you all psychotic?" he muttered, ejecting the magazine and emptying the chamber.

He was stumped, wondering why everyone he meets seem to have some kind of horrific or outrageous personal issue, Lena, McCree, Morrison, now Widowmaker.

"Alright. Here's the thing, I'm told to watch over you so I'm pretty sure it means keep you alive" he said finally "So instead of shooting ourselves, how about we do something?"

"What?"

"What do you do to pass the time?"

"Nothing"

"Common, there has to be something"

He could see the gears turning slowly in her head and saw something click.

"I dance…" she said.

"Good you da-, wh-, yes dance, good, why don't we find a place to dance eh?" he stuttered through, now curious what kind of dancing she does.

"I can't dance in these"

"Sure, what do you need?" he asked, willing to do anything to keep her mind off her current situation.

"It's… All back in my home"

"Alright, let's go back to your place, we'll grab your stuff and let's dance the night away eh?" he said.

A tone rang out from her coat and she pulled it out.

"It is from Lena" she said before reading out the contents "Quil wants some apple strudel, be a dear and make some for him :D"

Seeing that there is a direct line to Lena is a comfort to him, if anything else happens he will at least be able to call her. Wherever she is, she better come back soon.

"Do… Do you want some strudel?" she asked.

* * *

*Korea*

Hana reached the airport and let out a sigh of relief that she got here on time. She had just completed a major Starcraft 2 Comeback Event, where she dominated her opponents within record time, even prompting an adhoc 2 vs 1 battle against her just to drag the event longer. However, it was concluded quickly and she left before anyone could take a picture with her, rushing to the airport as quickly as possible, leaving a shocked Dae-hyun as her representative.

Landing Tokki in a designated area, she opened the hatch and a bag of chips. She was able to avoid detection from the crowds so she could relax and look at the happy families who are going or returning from somewhere. She had been envious at their freedom for so long that even waiting around near them now almost hurts.

Soon that will all change when a shuttle landed nearby and an old friend stepped out.

"Lena!"

"Hana!"

She Blinked forwards to Hana and they hugged, jumping on the spot and laughing excitedly.

"Ready to go?" Lena asked.

"All packed and ready!" Hana replied, indicating the packed bag hanging from her Tokki's turrets.

"Great! Lets go!"

Hana was about to run up the ramp when she paused for a moment, a mixture of excitement and fear rippled through her.

For most of her life, her only exposure to the world was normally confined to E-Sport Arenas and ever since she joined the military, she had only read Mei's public journals about her travels around the world, fascinated by all the places that she had been. So why? Why would she feel doubt when the life she fantasized is in front of her?

"Common luv! The world's not gonna wait!"

"We can come back anytime right?" Hana asked, looking back at her Mech, which will be collected by her teammates soon.

"I'm sure Lox wouldn't mind if you ask nicely enough"

Taking a deep breath, Hana nodded and ran up, trying to ignore the sound of the ramp closing behind her.

"I already told you! I ain't gonna fly anywhere else and that's-" Lox complained until he realized who is the new passenger.

"D-D-Dva?" he stammered, almost bowing out of respect.

"Hiya! Wow, this is what the pilot seat looks like?" she marveled "It's just like Flight Simulator!"

"S-She's coming along?" he asked Lena.

"Yup, don't worry, once you drop us off at base, I'll take over as the pilot"

He looked at her as if she was insane.

"Take over? With all due respect Lieutenant, but I'm the pilot of this shuttle!" he said with conviction before turning his attention back to Hana "Where can I take you Ms Dva?"

"I wanna go to Disneyland!" she said excitedly.

"Alright, which one?"

"There's more than one?!"

Lena sat back and watched them excitedly plan out the itinerary, silently glad not to be the one planning. She could not think of anyone else to bring along with her on this trip, as Hana is also around the age to 'find herself' and Lena needed a reminder how someone around this age would seek it.

Before she would just attend raves and drink to her heart's content, mixing up with various randoms that she would meet and have tons of bogus philosophical-sounding talks, but she had completely outgrown that. A fresh start requires a fresh point of view, which Hana would provide.

Plus, she's a cool friend to have around.

"What do you think Lena? Which one should we go to?"

"Let's go to the original!"

"Alright! A one way ticket to California!" Lox announced enthusiastically and they took off.

"Shouldn't you bring your family there Lox?" Lena teased.

"We went there last year so it's fine" he said.

Even with full speed, it would take 6 hours to reach their destination so Lena led Hana to her room, which was the largest one in the shuttle. She was worried that Hana would find it somewhat boring without a computer or television, considering that she plays games for a living, but to her relief, Hana was glad.

"I forgot what a room is like without a screen!" she yelled, jumping onto the bed and lay down "So much more peaceful"

"You can't be thinking about going to sleep"

"Why not? I'm on vacation right?" she replied with her eyes closed.

"We just started flying!"

"Isn't this what people do though? Sleep during a flight?"

"I suppose, but- Ok, we'll be outside if you need anything"

"Hey Lena?" Hana called just when the door was about to close.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks"

Lena smiled and shut the door before plopping herself in the seat next to Lox, who looks incredibly happy.

"I still can't believe we have THE Dva in our shuttle!" he said.

"It is sorta strange eh?"

"Do you think she'd give me her autograph?"

She laughed and sat back, losing herself in her thoughts, trying not to ponder too much in the past, rather to try to look to the future. A future where it seems bright and worth living in, hoping that this randomness in their journey would show her something along the way.

"Hey, what happened to Quillion? You still haven't told me why you just drop him in Paris"

"Why? It's a nice city, would you have preferred to leave him in the jungle?"

"No but… I don't think he should be left alone with that woman, I mean..."

"Just say whatever's in your mind" Lena said, putting her hands behind her head, watching the clouds.

"I mean… I know you trust him and everything but… You can't trust him THAT much ya know?"

"Why? Talon's gone"

"No, I mean… That Widowmaker may have been trained to 'encourage' men you know? Sway their feelings and all, given enough time…"

"And why are you saying this? Be frank"

"Okay… I'll be frank" Lox said, clearing his throat "I know Emily's passing was just three months ago and you need time to heal, that could easily take up a year or two, but life goes on, and I strongly believe love and care are needed in the recovery process, which I, personally, think Quillion can help with"

Lena didn't say anything, keeping her eyes on the clouds. She knew the reason why she left him there and why she had to go, but there is an uneasiness growing slowly in her ever since Paris.

"Like you say, life goes on, he'll survive" she replied.

"Common Lieutenant, I've never seen anyone do what he had done for anyone, that man has his head over his heels, even an extra somersault, for you. I know you prefer women over men but… I don't think you'll find anyone better than him, it'll be a shame if he gives up and -"

"Enough! I found Emily didn't I? The world's big enough!" she snapped.

"Sorry Lieutenant, but I'm just being frank" he said, pulling out a book and muttering "That doesn't mean I'm right"

An uncomfortable silence stretched between them, saved for the constant hum of the engine and Lox's scribbling, to which Lena decided to lighten the mood.

"By the way, won't Smith be a bit upset if we just fly to Disneyland?"

"I'm sure he wouldn't mind"

"Really?"

"Nope"

* * *

*France: Chateau Guillard*

Quillion stared in awe when he stepped out of the boat and looked at the estate. Amelie told him that it was a chateau but he wasn't expecting this. Though it looks run down, it still maintains some sort of respectable majesty and has a beautiful view of the surrounding area, especially with the setting sun.

However, the most important thing is that Amelie is no longer controlled by her emotions, or rather, she's back to being the emotionless figure that he knew. Though this relief is a double edge knife as this would mean she is just as capable to kill like before, so he needs to be on his guard regardless.

"You live here?" he asked her as they walked up the stairs, carrying bags of groceries.

"Yes"

Looking to his left through an arc, he saw that there is a statue of someone in the middle of the courtyard, to which he made a mental note to investigate later. Following the path, they crossed a large wine cellar before climbing higher to where the dining room must be. The problem was that most of this castle is open, therefore there is no place for him to warm up.

Seeing how cold he was, Amelie walked to a fireplace and started a fire.

"Thanks, I needed this" he said gratefully.

"Dinner will be served here, I'll let you know when it's ready" she said, pointing to the table in front of the fireplace before walking away.

"Oh don't you worry, I'll be here"

After he felt that he warmed up enough, he noticed there was a library at the end of the room, just a platform higher than where he was standing. Climbing the stairs, he was browsing the books when he saw a picture at the leftmost shelf.

It's a wedding picture of a perfect-looking couple. A handsome husband with a beautiful wife in his arms, he could not tell where this wedding took place but it looked like a beautiful day. He could also guess this has got to be one of those high-class private, expensive weddings that only the wealthiest are invited judging by the size of that diamond on her finger.

As much as he tried to browse the books, his eyes kept darting back to the picture, trying to figure out why the woman is so captivating, unable to shake off the feeling that he had seen her before. Annoyed, he wished he could access whatever data is stored in his 'memory bank/bomb', just to see if this was just someone that he met from his past.

A delicious smell broke him from his pondering and he found himself following it hungrily, tracking it until he could hear someone humming a tune almost as sweet as what he was smelling behind a door. Opening it, he stood still at what he saw, his hand absentmindedly moved to his pistol when he saw who was behind it.

"Yes?" she asked.

He didn't know what else he could've expected. She said she would be preparing the meals and this place looked abandoned so it could not have been anyone else, but to see her like this was still as shocking as they come.

Amelie had her hair tied up in a bun and is in an actual kitchen. Pots and pans were hanging down neatly from the ceiling and laid out on the table were all the ingredients. Behind her was an oven that looks like it is in the process of pre-heating and a large boiling pot where the smell was coming from. However, what was most shocking to him was to see her actually wearing an apron. An actual apron. A pink apron.

If she was not some famed Assassin, he would even dare to call her a beautiful woman, even if her skin was blue. However, he was no fool, the woman in front of him is none other than the Widowmaker, therefore he must be on his guard, especially when she is holding a knife and halfway through dicing an apple.

"I'm just checking how you're doing" he lied, taking great care to keep an eye on the knife.

"Are you saying you want to help?" she asked.

"That's what I'm here for" he replied, looking around for anything that she could've used to poison the food before picking up some apples "You know, those apples are not as ripe as these"

"How can you tell?" she asked with such convincing curiosity that Quillion was taken aback.

He spent the whole time in the kitchen with her, which at first he disguised his efforts to ensure nothing was being tampered with by helping her measure and weigh all ingredients, but as time passed, he found himself enjoying his time with Amelie, impressed at her skills and knowledge in cooking.

She had also shown interest in his almost natural ability to spot good fruits, which he showed off with earnest. To have someone to listen to his stories about nonsensical things like this is absolutely refreshing to him.

However, he was also careful not to be too entranced by her, to which she brims with, as every time she walks, she sways with a grace that could easily turn heads, and her accent was just so easy on the ears. For goodness sake, even when he watched her taste the soup, it was alluring.

He knew that he was at a disadvantage and can be easily compromised emotionally. After months of brutal and loneliness in the jungle, it is only natural that he would be strongly attracted to the first person he would spend some time with.

"Remember who she is Quillion" he chanted in his head.

To distract himself, he occasionally thinks about the things he could be doing now if he did not take up this job. Would he have gone back to Venice to sketch the city? Gone to a country where he could help rebuild something? What kind of a future could he be a part of to make them proud? And what is Lena doing? And why, of all the people in the world, would Lena throw him to be with some, admittedly hot, French assassin?

"Fais attention, le couteau est très trenchant" she warned, grabbing his hand.

"What?"

"You're not looking" she said, indicating his fingers that he was about to chop.

"Oh wow, thanks" he replied, trying to ignore how surprisingly soft her hands are.

"Mr Quil? Can I ask you a question?"

"Just Quillion, sure"

"Do you hate me?"

He looked at her carefully and grabbed the knife tighter, this time not willing to let anything slip away in case she plans to do something stupid with it.

"Why would you ask that?"

"Back in Venice, the things I had to do to escape" she said quietly "I remember how you looked at me"

"Well, we managed to escape so that's the important part of the story" he said casually, swallowing his frustrations as he is unable to shout at her about that now "All is forgiven"

"Really?" she asked hopefully.

"Besides, I can't remember the last time someone has ever cooked for me so how can I be mad at that person?"

"Exaggeration"

"No really, I literally can't remember"

He saw her features soften and smiled at his words before returning her attention to the soup. He didn't mind, it would be too complicated to explain how literal that statement was.

An hour later, the food was finally ready and he had no clue what anything was, but he had to force himself to eat with her pacing, as she said the next dish would be ready for serving if they ate at the 'normal' pace. For months he admittedly ate like a wild animal, stuffing his face with as much fruits or game as quickly as possible, as he was always on the move or in the process of tracking the Tigers down, so to eat so slowly, especially when he can actually sink his teeth into something properly cooked or seasoned again was nothing short of heaven and hell for him.

"The food is bad no?" she said, looking at him.

"What?" he asked in shock. The soup and the fish tasted amazing! His only complaint was that there wasn't enough for it.

"You do not need to lie, I know the look when someone is not enjoying the food..."

His first reflex was anger. Here he was, trying to be a good guest in an ancient manor and the host is not even realizing it, but he calmed himself. Remembering why Lena did not want her to be in jail, Amelie must be testing how far she was to reconnect with society.

In response, he forgo any mannerisms of the 'higher class' and dropped his utensils. Making sure she was looking at him, he grabbed the small slice of chicken and devoured it in one bite.

"Think the next dish would be ready if I really enjoy myself?" he smiled, pleased to see her shocked face.

"You remind me of the fatman, Agong"

"I WHAT?" Quillion roared, slamming a hand on the table and stood up in rage, only to see her chuckling.

"That's what you get for not having manners" she said, sipping her wine.

"You take that ba-"

"Do you still want your strudel?"

He bit his lip and sat back down.

*An hour later*

Quillion had seen a lot of things in his life.

Machines rising up against their creators, his country destroyed and ruled by a drug lord, even a talking gorilla. Add that in with the idea of him being preserved through time, picked up by Overwatch that led him to fight a secret evil organisation.

He can confidently say he had seen a lot of strange things.

But tonight trumps it all.

Sitting on a chair, an empty plate of strudel on the table, and a glass of wine in hand, he watches as Amelie danced around the statue.

Of all the genres of dancing, it had to be ballet. A sad ballet.

He had never appreciated this dance before, but tonight he was an eager student. Her moves were graceful and smooth, so much so that he could almost hear the music that was supposed to accompany it, however the strongest instrument tonight were her eyes.

Though her face remains stony and unsmiling, he could see despair every time she reaches her hand out to her right, only to grab it back quickly as if it were burnt.

He could only describe her like seeing a victim of Medusa struggling to reverse the curse, desperately trying to escape their stony prison to return to their homes across the sea.

In a final spin and leap, she landed on her toes and bowed, earning a standing ovation from Quillion, who had to fight back tears as he clapped.

"Stop it, it was merely to kill time" she said coldly, removing the swan headdress.

"No, that… That was something else" he said, tripping a little bit as he walked to the place where she danced "There was a story behind this… What's the story?"

"I just danced, there was no story"

"Impossible… There was definitely something there…"

"You are drunk, go to sleep"

That may be true, but Quillion knew that he still maintained enough rational thinking to know that he was not mistaken. There is a message in there that he is compelled to discover.

"That dance… It needed a partner didn't it?"

Amelie merely stared as he paced around, recalling her movements.

"Or rather it pretends it needed one… That's why the dance requires you to recoil when you reach out…"

When he turned around, she was already gone, having already zipped away into a room that he was sure he could not reach.

"Did I say something wrong?" he asked the statue and was about to pour himself another glass when he realized that he did have too much.

"Welp, might as well save you for later" he said, putting back the cork and prepared to sleep

He realized he did not know where he was supposed to sleep in. Walking around, he could not find anywhere that resembles a room or bed, which was a pity, because he was hoping to sleep on a pillow again. In the end, he threw another log into the dying fire pit and fell asleep, shivering as he was unable to get it to burn hot enough to give him a warm night.

_Bang_

He woke up with a start, blinded temporarily by the sunlight that beamed through the windows. As he waited for his eyes to adjust, he realized that he was lying on something soft.

It was a bed!

Dipping his head back into the softness of an actual pillow, he couldn't help but smile. It had been so long that he had forgotten what it was actually like, especially with covers to keep him warm.

_Bang_

Groaning, he stood up and was relieved that he was still wearing his clothes, the only thing taken off were his boots and excessive jackets.

Exiting the room, he was lost for a moment until he smelled something delicious in the air again, which he followed. Going down a flight of stairs, he saw that he was a floor above the ground floor where they had dinner, and on the same table, there was a small tower of toasts and coffee.

_Bang_

Deciding to investigate the noise first, he followed and found that it was from Amelie, who was carrying some timber and throwing them onto a pile.

"About time you woke up"

"Err… Right… Thanks… For the room and all"

"Eat, you'll need it" she said, pointing back to the direction of the dining table.

"I guess we will be doing something with this?" he said as she began chopping some of the wood.

"Oui"

"Nah I don't need it" he said, rolling up his sleeves.

"I can hear your stomach from here. Go. Eat"

"I'll survive" he lied.

She sighed and dropped her axe. Turning around, she pushed past him roughly and motioned for him to follow. Walking back to the dining table, she grabbed a piece of toast and took a bite before washing it down with a sip of coffee.

"Satisfied?" she snarled.

He nodded in embarrassment and she stormed off to resume her woodcutting, leaving him to finish the meal, which could've been delicious if he wasn't so cautious.

Thankfully the rest of the day was less awkward, as she had him do most of the heavy lifting, sending him to the shore to cut down trees for lumber. However, she was no slouch either, spending most of the time measuring and carving out patterns or blocks so quickly that he had trouble keeping up with her.

Days passed and he quickly learned the skills of construction, having to be involved or even improving some of the designs Amelie had him go through, skills which he was grateful to learn. Perhaps this was why Lena asked him to stick around, to learn the trade of rebuilding things, which was what the world desperately needs right now.

But it was not all work, as during the downtimes, he would just climb to the highest points and sketch their surroundings. Only once Amelie was with him, but only because that day he had sprained his ankle when he was loading the boat with a particularly thick log.

From time to time she would have food and groceries delivered so they did not need to leave the island, which was fine for him. As long as she is confined here, his job to watch her is so much easier, and watch her he did. Partially because of her suicide attempt when they first met, but also because of other reasons.

He began noticing things about her, things that are absolutely not important to his assignment. Like how she taps the spoon after stirring her coffee, or how she would hum at menial tasks or cooks with a precision and patience that only a sniper would have. How she would roll her tongue in that way when she yawns...

He even knew about the black spider that she never dusted off at the window, which he imagines is her pet. She definitely does not like to read as she had never got anywhere close to the library.

Slowly, he made himself at home here, finding satisfaction to see their efforts materializing around the manor, even learning some French along the way. He could also see that this is having a positive effect on Amelie, who began to smile more with each successful project, which prompted him to change his mission.

Once they are done here, he would leave. If he could, somehow, bring satisfaction to an unfeeling Assassin, he would consider this mission complete, then he could carry out his original plan to see the world.

A world that is finally at peace.

* * *

*Gibraltar: Overwatch*

"Where in the world is Lieutenant Lena and Lox?!" Smith shouted in anger, looking at the map where all the shuttle icons were beeping all around, making the tracking increasingly difficult.

"Common boss, they are usually gone for months at a time on missions" McCree yawned, his legs on the table.

"I swear McCree, if you do not put your legs down…"

"Hey, you already said you do not need boots on the ground, I'm just following orders"

Seeing that McCree is not cooperating, he turned his attention to Winston, who is eating a banana unenthusiastically. He may be a scientist, but ever since McCree's disastrous mission in India, he was willing to use whoever would even listen.

"Winston! I need you and Mei to go find them!"

"Find who?"

"The Lieutenant and Lox!"

"Where should we begin our search?"

"Oh you gotta be kidding me" Smith muttered in disbelief.

First Genji and Angela let the prisoner escape, one of their best agents has potentially gone AWOL with the Talon Assassin that he assigned her to oversee. Now he couldn't even send any of the other agents to go after her.

"You know" a voice came from the door, prompting everyone, even McCree, to stand up in attention "You will never earn their respect like that"

"Commander! Welcome back!" Smith saluted gratefully.

Morrison walked in, looking so strange wearing the UN military garb instead of the 76 jacket that they were all accustomed to. Taking a glance at the large screen, he nodded with approval and looked back at Smith, who still maintained his salute.

"At ease… Looks like all of you have done well in your new post"

"Yes sir but… I must report some of my own infractions sir!"

"There is no need, I already know you can't control any of these knuckleheads" he said, looking at McCree, who is hiding his cigar behind him "So I'm here to propose that though they remain in Overwatch, they will report directly to me"

"What are you saying? We are no longer Overwatch?" Winston asked.

"No, you will still remain here, but to have the funding and support from the UN, they require a representative"

"Aww shucks, here I was getting used to your absence" McCree sighed.

"What are your orders?" Smith asked out of habit.

"You will continue the humanitarian efforts, I will delegate my men as I see fit"

"Yes sir!" the room chorused and Smith immediately, and gratefully, took command of the staff, leaving the Commander to control the agents.

Seeing this, Winston took the opportunity to share his concerns with Morrison, who saw and wisely walked to the side.

"Jack, you are not creating another Blackwatch are you?"

"I am"

Winston stood shocked. Blackwatch was the reason why Overwatch fell, so to hear Jack affirming it is nothing short of shocking.

"I don't want any part of it! We are here to make the world a better place without bloodshed!"

"Unfortunately, our enemy is not as noble as we are, we have to strike first to avoid another war"

"Jack…" Winston warned, bracing himself for retaliation "That's what Reyes used to say"

To his surprise, Jack neither punched him nor shouted back, rather he turned his attention back onto the map, choosing his words carefully.

"Things have changed Winston, a new war is coming and we must do something to stop it"

"No, I will not be part of a kill squad. We will not be part of a kill squad"

"A God Program is behind all this Winston. It is close to getting another"

Hearing those words nearly gave Winston a heart attack. He remembered how difficult it was for Overwatch to capture and deactivate them, their duties even harder when they had to protect each and every one from their enemies, who all are suicidally dedicated to retrieve any of them to sell in the Black Market, especially the one locked away in Anubis.

If the one that escaped is behind the Second Omnic Crisis… The damage that it could potentially inflict if it joins forces with another will be horrific, maybe even irreversible, especially so soon after the war.

"How do you know?"

"We ran the data, what Sombra calls The Conspiracy is a God Program, and it has already made plans for another war"

"What do we have to do?" Winston relented, unable to keep the fear out of his voice.

"First we need to find Sombra"

"Is she working with them?"

"Unlikely, but I would like to know why she wants to get to it first, for that, I need you, all of you"

"Are you sure about this Jack?"

Taking his eyes off the screen, he looked into Winston's eyes and nodded, his face grim and his posture deadly serious. However, he was also emitting the aura of Jack Morrison, not Soldier 76, a man who is dedicated to keep the peace, not revenge, someone that they can trust for sure to maintain their integrity and would do anything to keep them in line for the betterment of the world.

Just like old times.

"Very well… Where do we start?" Winston asked, readying himself for the missions ahead.

* * *

*Unknown Location*

An Omnic sped through the road in a blur, the car it drives barely intact as the amount of bullet holes that were shot upon it had nearly slice it apart like cake. Thankfully it was dark and in an allied area so it didn't matter if anyone saw the car, as information is strictly regulated here.

Looking nervously to the back, it could see that its bodyguards are destroyed, both lying on the floor with empty casings rolling around them. Handling the car with an arm on the wheel, it reached back and grabbed the nearest weapon it could reach, which thankfully was a fully loaded sub-machine gun, which it hopes that it would never have to use.

Though it looks like it had lost its pursuers, it wasn't going to take any chances. They just came down from the skies and attacked them without warning. Whoever they are, they must be hired from within, as no one but the most trusted programs within their circle would know where the meeting was taking place.

Circling the area for the third time, he finally had confirmation to enter the mansion and he nearly crushed the gates as it sped in. Clambering out of the car, it pushed past the security that attempted to check it for weapons and forced open the door, where an older Omnic, also the Captain of this area, was already waiting.

Immediately the Omnic bowed before moving closer, but ensured that it stayed 20 paces away from the Captain, waiting impatiently for permission to speak.

"I was told that not only the meeting was ambushed, but you were the only survivor" the Captain finally spoke.

The Omnic flinched, unable to believe he was the only survivor from that encounter. Everything happened so fast that even its advanced processors could not keep up.

"What is your opinion on the matter?" the Captain asked.

"I believe that it was someone from the higher ranks who betrayed us, only they would know exactly which floor, room, and time to hit us in that manner"

The Captain said nothing, merely looking at it curiously before it sat down on the nearest chair.

"Do you really believe that?"

"That is the only logical explanation, the probabilities for any other reasons are inconsiderable"

"You have been accepted into our fold because you share our vision, a vision that is set by IT, do you believe IT made a mistake?"

The Omnic cowered.

"O-Of course not! I would never dare to suggest that IT would ever make a mistake!"

"By suggesting that someone from the higher ranks have betrayed us, you are admitting IT made a mistake, and you know the penalties for that"

Quickly kneeling down on the ground, the Omnic begged for forgiveness but it fell on deaf ears as the guards dragged him away for Memory Extraction.

"No! You can't do this to me! Have I not been a good earner?"

As it would take half an hour to know its innocence, the Captain proceeded to fill out the report and send it to the Underboss, hoping that it would stop the ceaseless demand for information.

The moment the message is sent, a call forced itself through, invading the private channel like lightning.

"What is this?" he shouted, grabbing his head with both hands as the pain escalated. That was until he heard the voice of the most feared woman in the machine world.

"About time you open a channel, thanks a lot amigo"

"Shadow? You were the one behind the attack!"

"I gotta admit, your security was pretty tough to break through, but since a God Program is involved, that makes a lot of sense now eh?"

"You have no idea what you are fighting against woman, IT is far beyond your own reckoning… Wait… What are you doing?"

"Relax… I'm just doing a little editing"

The Captain watched, horrified to see her hacking into the private report and changing its structure, 'folding' the picture into a smiley face.

Sombra laughed at his feeble attempt to delete the message and sent it away, leaving the Captain alone as she disconnected the connection.

"You think they would understand that?" Baptiste asked.

"I practically spelled it out in the message" she said, removing the wires from the antenna on the mansion.

Both of them looked down and saw the guards running into the, soon the whole building would be in a lockdown and they would be surrounded, especially if they take out the anti-aircraft weapons.

"Well, no point sticking around here" Sombra said, planting the bomb.

"Right, remember to tell me before you set it off alright? The last time you did that and I got stuck in this suit for hours"

"Best turn it off now then, cause you got 10 seconds" she said, shutting off her own suit.

"Wait!" he said, pulling out a Russian dictionary "Why didn't you have them come in English?"

"You've been wearing it for a month and you're still referring to that thing?"

She watched him fumble through his mechanics and laughed when he could not turn it off in time. The EMP burst out of the bomb and shut the entire neighborhood down, effectively shutting the entire area of Omnics and machines out of commission.

"Aww common!" he shouted, throwing his hands up in the air, annoyed when he saw Sombra turned hers back on.

"Chill Bap, we'll charge them when we get back, but for now…"

"… we wait" he finished lamely, looking over to the nearest town, where the Captain's reinforcements are already rushing over.

"Which one are you going to hack next? You've already got rid of this Captain" he asked.

"The Captain from that town always likes to do these things personally, I'm sure we can get a trail from there" Sombra said before turning invisible.

* * *

Aaannndddd enters the second half of Overwatch 2.

At least my version of Overwatch 2, which I am eagerly waiting for.

I have read that having an open ending would be bad for Fanfic and I agree, but this Ending has been planned and changed so many times that I thought "Surely Overwatch 2 would be out by now" to help me create a true ending… Which it hasn't so my gamble failed.

Another reason that I must admit I ended this in this manner was because life is starting to kick up fast and soon it might require my full attention, so unfortunately I could not completely flesh out my preferred ending lest I risk leaving this as an 'unfinished' Fanfic.

So, I would need some honest opinion from you guys, do you prefer me to:

1\. Leave this as it is?

2\. Allow me to fully flesh out before writing Adventures of Quillion (Overwatch) Part 2 as a POSSIBLE Sequel?

3\. Just have this one open and updated slowly overtime?

You can leave it as a Review or PM me the answer and I will update you guys as soon as I am able :)

Thank you all so much for reading and have a good day!


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